PADERBORN, Germany – Making those around her better has always been a signature quality for Academy of Art volleyball and Communications & Media Technologies graduate Picabo Reinhold. Now, after securing a content creation position assisting her teammates at SC Paderborn 07, a German association soccer club currently in 2. Bundesliga, she is constantly putting to use the skills she sharpened over the past five years at ART U.

In San Francisco this past fall, Reinhold was not only nearing completion of her eventual bachelor's degree in Communications & Media Technologies, but also an Advertising minor and a Social Media Management Certificate, two concentrations she had been working toward since her second year at ART U. She would go on to be celebrated along with many of her four-year teammates on Senior Day then in the graduating Class of 2022 all the while having worked assiduously to broaden her portfolio so she could land her dream job.

"The Academy of Art University and especially the Communications & Media Technologies Department offers an extensive range of classes and even gives you the chance to get a minor in a different field," Reinhold said. "I knew I wanted to take advantage of that and select classes that would get me far and teach me everything I needed to know to start my professional career after graduation. I am grateful for the opportunity to have minored in Advertising, gotten a Social Media Management Certificate, and majored in Communications & Media Technologies simultaneously."

Reinhold anticipated a return to her hometown of Paderborn, Germany after graduation and subsequently applied for a part-time position as a videographer and graphic designer with SC Paderborn 07 during her final semester at ART U. Well versed in numerous necessary aspects including camera equipment, microphones, green screens, and Adobe Cloud software, she boasted an impressive portfolio which led her to be hired even prior to obtaining her degree.

"Thanks to the very hands-on classes at Academy of Art, I was already familiar with all the equipment and tools they used," Reinhold said. "I am incredibly grateful for all the projects and experiences I gathered at ART U. Although it was challenging and stressful at times, it played a huge role in why I landed my dream job shortly before graduation."

Since her official start with SC Paderborn 07 in February earlier this year, Reinhold's responsibilities have ranged from shooting and editing videos for the club's social media channels to developing content ideas to organizing marketing events. Most notably, when SCP07 came overseas for a USA tour that included friendly matches against Minnesota United and Forward Madison, the Communications & Media Technologies grad was at the forefront of planning marketing opportunities across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois. Among the highlights was a visit to a Minnesota Twins game, which included on-field cross-promotion featuring SCP07 defender Uwe Hünemeier and Twins outfielder Max Kepler prior to the contest, as well as time spent in a local German immersion school in Minnesota. In addition to helping organize all of the tour's marketing events, Reinhold was tasked with shooting and editing many of the highlight videos along the way.

"Working for SCP07 has been a dream come true," Reinhold said. "It was an incredible experience traveling with a professional soccer club, being so close to the entire team and being able to film everything. During the tour I helped with all the translating and interpreted a press conference in Madison. I wouldn't have been able to land this job and take up so much responsibility during the tour if I hadn't studied at ART U. Being a bilingual student-athlete and working on all the hands-on projects prepared me better than I ever could have imagined."

The team's starting setter in each of her three seasons, Reinhold culminated her Academy of Art career with a historic campaign in 2021. Her 10.63 assists per set led the Pacific West Conference and put her top five in the West Region, she was All-PacWest Second Team, and ART U finished with its highest assists (12.03) and kills (12.81) per set averages in the program's 14-year history. Never missing a start in 88 career matches, Reinhold ended among the Urban Knights' career leaders with 2,872 assists, 95 service aces, and 781 digs while exemplifying her dual role with academic success as a four-time Academic All-PacWest Team honoree.

"Being a student-athlete has helped me understand the structures of the club and the way the coaches and players think and feel," Reinhold said. "I know how to address them in any situation, even after a loss, because I've been in similar situations as an athlete. But it also prepared me on a more personal level. I learned to solve many problems on my own, and I learned to push through tough times and always come back stronger. Even when I wanted to give up, wasn't motivated, or didn't see the light at the end of the tunnel, I kept pushing and these experiences turned out to be life lessons I will always cherish and carry with me. Being a student-athlete can not only be tough on your body but especially on your mind. I'd be lying if I said I enjoyed every minute of it. But once you push through it and convince yourself not to give up, you become more aware of what you are capable of, find new confidence in yourself, and don't roll over whenever you are in a difficult situation. It doesn't just help me at my job but also in life in general."

After signing a two-year contract as a part-time videographer and content creator for SC Paderborn 07, Reinhold now plans to simultaneously pursue her master's degree in Marketing in Germany. When it comes to advice for the next generation of Urban Knights to graduate, she is more than happy to assist.

"Be open to all the possibilities that Academy of Art offers and be conscious about the classes you take," Reinhold said. "If you already have a job in mind that you want to pursue after graduation, I advise you to keep that in mind and work towards it, even if it means taking the more difficult classes. Do not to be afraid of difficult times and pressure. It will get tough at times, but that's a good thing. As long as you love what you're doing more often than you dislike it, you should go for it and give it your all. It will all pay off in the end. Everything you put in comes back to you, maybe even twice as much."