Professor Oakes has over 10 years of experience teaching graphic design and for nearly two decades has been a small business owner, growing a freelance design business into a studio of 10 individuals servicing medium to large companies with their visual communications. Oakes has also taught graphic design for over ten years. His Fellows project is focused on build resources and pedagogy for the entrepreneurial-minded creative professional with new course development to introduce students to multiple areas of theory and business practices that relate to entrepreneurial actives in the design field.