Diego Acosta

I advise them to have goals, to follow what resonates with them and to work hard at it. Diego Acosta , Faculty , Miami International University of Art & Design

What would you say is the defining moment in your life when you knew you were destined to become a creative professional?

When I attended my first concerts and I was supper attracted to the audio console, sometimes even more so than to the artist.

How do you weave your professional background into the classroom experience to provide an industry veteran's sense of the realities / challenges / opportunities of the profession?

It comes every day. I am very active in the field, so all of the experiences and anecdotes are brought into the classroom for analysis. 

Is there a class assignment that exemplifies your approach to teaching and mentoring? Similarly, how does your approach inspire each student to push themselves beyond their own perceived limits?

In Acoustics and Production, we actually have a mentoring project where students go out and research on what attracts them the most. With that in mind, they find mentors to continue their path and keep on learning. It also gives the students new and precise goals. 

What role does collaboration contribute to students' success, especially when students from other programs contribute to the same project?

In the music industry, you are constantly dealing with people from other programs and industries from film to photography. Having the option to see what the other side of the coin looks like early on in their careers opens the student's mind. 

In your opinion, what is the single most important thing you impart to your students to help them succeed in your class and in the real world? Alternatively, what is the most critical advice you would offer any student as he / she embarks on a creative career?

My experience, as much as my will for them to succeed. And I advise them to have goals, to follow what resonates with them and to work hard at it.