Class of 2030: Benia Cook, animation artist

Benia Cook's dream is to become an animator.

"I’ve always loved cartoons, animated movies, Disney, DreamWorks and Pixar," Cook says. "I love the process of making animated films...seeing the creativity come to life. I’ve dreamed of doing that ever since I was a kid. Now that I’m older and coming into my own, I want to actively pursue it."

When she began searching for colleges, the native of Broward County took a look at FIU. She found the digital arts major with an animation track. She was ecstatic to find that FIU offered her dream major. She knew she would become a Panther and follow her passion. 

"I love animation because it inspires people to be creative," Cook says. "For example, after the Spider-Verse films, different artists felt inspired by the film to make their own Spider-sonas, their own versions of Spider characters. My friends and I would draw our own versions of Spider Man. I love how animation can do that. Fostering that creativity is so important."

 A graduate of Design and Architecture Senior High School (DASH), Cook is an artist who focused on the graphic design track in school. She created marketing campaigns, brochures, flyers and posters, some of which were used for real-world, school-wide events like fashion shows, film festivals and the senior showcase. Cook is certified in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator and has been using various software programs to explore animation exercises and create animated characters. 

Throughout high school, she was in the Black Student Union, the animation club and the Step dance team. She also served as secretary of a storytelling club that focused on Dungeons & Dragons. 

Most notably, she dedicated herself to service. She volunteered through Top Teens of America for five years. The youth organization provides volunteers with robust opportunities for giving back. Through the program, she visited the elderly in senior homes, and she participated in food drives, hurricane relief drives, health fairs and more. 

"It was fun," she says. "I just like helping people. My parents and most of my family are educators. My mom is a guidance counselor, and my dad is a high school PE teacher. It's part of the way my family is. It’s just in me to want to help people. If I can help in a community garden, work on hands-on activities and talk to people, have conversations with people... I love doing that."

She began at FIU during the summer and has already found a few student organizations she is interested in joining.

"I want to continue helping people at FIU," she says. "I want to do volunteer work this fall. There are a lot of things to keep me engaged within the FIU community."

Cook is ready to experience it all.