By David Garcia, Daily Bruin
Most work-study athletes in the Sports Information Department do no more than shuffle papers and answer phones, but senior Tony Golston took his job to a whole new level last summer.
Golston, a top hurdler on UCLA's track team, designed many of this year's media guide covers for various UCLA sports, such as soccer, golf and most notably men's basketball. He started out doing only secretarial work, but that soon changed once Assistant Sports Information Director Liza David discovered Golston's knack for Photoshop.
"We hired Tony just to do office stuff, but he ended up doing much more than that," David said. "He was actually teaching us how to do things. We definitely got a lot more than what we anticipated. He's the best hire we've ever had."
Golston began working with Photoshop without any training only a few years ago as a hobby. He caught on quickly and in no time became an expert.
"I'm pretty keen with computers," Golston said. "I used to just sit in my room and design my own desktop wallpapers. Now, I'm getting into Web design."
Golston's wealth of electronic design knowledge became a great asset to the Sports Information Department. Normally, the Sports Information directors design and put together the media guide covers, but Golston saved them large chunks of time.
"I designed almost all the covers last year, and it's a really big burden," David said. "He's been able to free up a lot of time for us."
The change is not only in who designed the covers, but how they appear. For example, as David pointed out, last year's cross country media guide cover was rather dull, consisting only of a white backdrop with a photo of the team. In sharp contrast, this year's guide is much more aesthetically pleasing and incorporates many different layers of runners in action with Royce Hall as a back drop.
"I could never do anything like this," David said.
Golston's best work may have been on the men's basketball covers, which took him a month to complete. And as with any good artist, Golston left a personalized mark on his creation: On the back cover of the basketball guide, there is a picture of Wooden Court with Golston's picture subtly implanted on the Jumbotron.
"It was my way of leaving my mark after working there for the summer," Golston said. "I knew the basketball media guide is popular, so I did it there. ... Everybody in the office laughed and thought it was cool."
Though it may seem like an easygoing job, Golston is very serious about his media design duties.
"I love it," Golston said. "It was such a joy to come in to work every day. I'd even put in a little bit of extra work outside of the office. I'd do research to find out what I could do the next day, see what new tricks I could put in."
According to David, Golston even went so far as to purchase guides and manuals to teach himself even more about the craft.
"Tony's been very dedicated," David said. "He's always learning new techniques. He even went out and bought some Photoshop books."
Golston has learned a great deal working in the Sports Information Department, so much that he is now planning to pursue a career in graphic design, starting as early as this summer.
"Next summer, I'd like to come back and work for the Sport Information Department," Golston said. "I would just work in graphic design."
And from the looks of it, they wouldn't mind having him around for another summer.
"We'd take him in a heartbeat," David said.