Richard Giang

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Professional Experience: UX Designer and Design Consultant at Relay Product Collective

Location: Columbus, OH

Hometown: Liberty Township, OH

Major(s): New Media and Communication Technology with a foucs in Human-Computer Interaction

Minor(s): Design Thinking and Studio Art 

OSU Involvement: 115th Class of SPHINX Senior Class Honorary 

Favorite Quote: "Finish your food." -Tu Hoang

"I don’t exactly know what I’m going to do, where I’m going to go, or who I’m going to meet, but that's exactly what I want. I know that whatever I plan five, ten, or twenty years out probably won't happen exactly how I imagine, and I’m okay with that. What I have figured out during my time at Ohio State is the “Why?” behind what I do and how I do things. It all goes back to the quote above: “Finish your food”. In my totality as the son of Vietnamese refugees who has grown up solely in predominantly white institutions and ecosystems, I have found three distinct meanings in a phrase that appears common at first glance. First, take nothing for granted. Second, never stop learning. Lastly, always finish what you’ve started. With these three pillars I have equipped myself to approach every situation with the purpose of discovering the stories that go undeservedly untold. Why do I do all of the disparate and seemingly unrelated things I do? It’s so I can finish my food, make meaning, and give back to help others. My last name means “River” in Vietnamese and rivers have been the basis of civilizations since the beginning of humankind, and I hope that one day I can help bring to fruition a community of my own, contribute to its richness, and nourish it for generations to come. I think the first step to doing any of that is to foster conversation, and simultaneously I fully believe that conversation is what makes food a meal. With that being said, if you’d give me the privilege of getting to know your story and if you’d like to get to know my own, I’d love to have a meal with you." ~ Richard Giang