Animating a Bright Future

I caught up with Kate Kanemura during Finals Week in December 2022. Her first semester as a junior at San Jose State University is a wrap, and Kate is as confident as ever that she is in the right place at the right time.

Her poise and positivity are remarkable considering the backdrop of the past couple of years.  Kate graduated from Wilcox High School in 2020. Remember that time? No pomp and circumstance, no parties, no in-person anything. Uncertainty reigned supreme, leaving so many young people feel lost and full of doubt. Kate, however, had direction and focus. As a Dual Enrollment student, she had already taken classes at Mission College during her senior year of high school and knew she would start her collegiate career at Mission that fall. 

“By my senior year of high school I’d already fulfilled a lot of my requirements, so my high school counselor encouraged me to start taking classes at Mission College. I really enjoyed being able to dip my toes into the college experience.”

Once enrolled at Mission, Kate received the Mission Promise Scholarship, which fully covered the cost of her tuition. “Getting the scholarship was freeing,” says Kate. “For two full years, I was able to explore and take any class I wanted to without worrying that I would put myself in debt.” 

Kate focused on trying new things. “At the start of each semester, I would go through the catalog, see which GE classes I needed to take, then look at all the “elective” classes that I thought would be fun. I ended up taking a decent number of art classes. That ability to freely explore different disciplines led me to my current path.”

In 2021, Mission College resumed in-person classes and Kate says the timing couldn’t have been better. It became much easier to connect with people and find a community. In-person classes were critical for her art too. “I was so happy to be back in person. The first class I took was a drawing class with the model right in front of me. There’s no way that looking through a tiny computer screen would have been the same.”

As an artist, Kate enjoys exploring different art mediums. While she mostly took classes at Mission, in her last semester Kate discovered that West Valley College offered an animation class. “I’m such a big Disney nerd and love animated movies. That class sparked something in me. I remember thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, this is something I am passionate about that I can do for a living!’” 

After successfully earning her Associates Degree in Art, Kate is now pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in the Animation and Illustration Program at San Jose State. With such an impressive resume, Kate is well on her way to achieving her career goal of working for a major animation studio. “So far, college has been filled with great experiences. My animation teachers are so amazing with students, and they have great connections and recommendations for improving. It’s really motivating.”

Kate is on track to earn her Bachelor’s Degree entirely debt-free. After working and saving money for two years while living at home, Kate can now utilize her Cal Grant to cover tuition and other fees at SJSU.

When Kate graduates from SJSU in 2024, I have little doubt that she will once again know she is in the right place at the right time, surrounded by a sea of faces who are there to provide all the pomp and circumstance this young artist deserves!