Hey! So, my name is Trey Choate, if you didn’t read that elsewhere on this page. I’m a 20 year old artist from Sioux Falls, SD. Currently, I’m studying at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY. I’m pursuing a Bachelor’s in Visual Media. Let me tell you about how I got here!

I was born in Maryland, but have grown up in Sioux Falls for as long as I remember. Growing up, I was always artistically inclined. I loved listening and dancing to music as a kid, I loved coloring and drawing (and still do), and I was also very involved in the arts in high school. Not only was I in the school’s concert band and marching band, but I would also do the school plays, whether I was on stage performing or back stage in tech. I was always just drawn to the arts, something about it just calmed me, and I felt happy when I was around music/art.

When deciding what I wanted to do with my life, I had always wanted to be an English major. I never had a really good reason as to why, except for that was the path my dad went down in life. To prepare myself for this, I took a journalism class my senior year of high school, since journalism was the field I wanted to specialize in. While I did learn a lot about journalism in that class, my classmates and I were also in charge of making that year’s yearbook. I really enjoyed making the yearbook because I got to create layouts for each page, take photos, and write blurbs of text.

I think something had just clicked with me, that I really enjoyed being creative and doing things like that. With some encouragement from my journalism teacher and my parents, I decided to not go to school for English but instead go for a degree in the arts!

From 2021 to 2023, I attended Southeast Technical College pursuing a degree in Media Design Technology. The college really helped me get a good understanding of how different aspects of design work. Once I graduated, I started looking for jobs, but also was not opposed to doing more school. My mom suggested a school near the place that she worked; the Rochester Institute of Technology. We toured the college and I was very interested in Visual Media program that they have.

I applied not long after touring in the summer (pretty much applying on a whim) and got accepted! I’m currently attending RIT as a transfer student. Visual Media encapsulates a lot of different photography elements, but also includes some design as well. I’m learning a lot about how light works, how different cameras work, and how to be a good photographer. I am thinking of doing a minor in maybe marketing, business, or New Media Design. However, I am not committing to anything yet.

A little bit more about me (mostly fun facts): I enjoy working out and doing calisthenics, spending time outdoors, taking trips with friends, eating, playing video games, and designing. I live in the dorms on campus with three other awesome roommates! I’m in lots of clubs like Calisthenics Club, Outing Club, Soil and Plants, Visual Media Club, RIT Drumline, and Alpine Skiing Club. I also love listening to music!