“My association with Miami University goes back a long time,” says Anne Haag, a Luxembourger who studied at Miami University in the United States from 2002 to 2006. “My father, Emile Haag, has been teaching history to Miami students in Luxembourg ever since the university opened its centre in the grand duchy in 1968. As a little girl, I would go and listen along to his classes from the back of the room. Miami has been an important part of my growing up.”¨

When it came to choosing where to study after secondary school, it was clear that Haag wanted to forgo the European university system for that of the States, and pursue graphic design studies at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Through her father, she felt a connection to the philosophy of American universities, the flexibility of the programmes offered and the approachable nature of the professors. “What I liked about the US system was that I didn’t have to choose right away what to specialise in,” explains Haag. “I knew I wanted to do graphic design, but I also had the opportunity to take other classes related to the arts and other disciplines.”

Haag immediately felt at home in the small Ohio town of Oxford, whose population doubles during term time. University life, for Haag, was centred around Miami’s sprawling campus, moving from class to class, partaking in student activities and bonding with fellow students from America and abroad. “It was a warm experience,” she says. “I’m still in touch with many of my art teachers and professors. And when I got married a few years ago, a lot of my university friends flew over to Luxembourg for the celebrations.”

Return to Luxembourg

Upon graduating from Miami with a Bachelor of Arts in graphic design, Haag first took a job at an advertising agency in Cincinnati in southern Ohio. After a year however, she wasn’t granted an extension to her working visa and had to return to her native Luxembourg. In 2011, Haag joined the graphic design team at communications agency Moskito in Steinsel, where she is currently working as an art director on various branding, advertising, publishing and digital projects for national and international clients.

Haag believes that had she not gone off to the States to attend Miami University, she might not have got to where she is today. “If I had stayed in Europe, I would have probably ended up in education,” she says. “The fact that I was able to live a full graphic design experience at Miami allowed me to build confidence in my trade. I have always been interested in advertising; studying at Miami gave me the skills needed to pursue a career in this field.”

Haag’s eye for composition is crucial in her role as an art director, but also in her free time as a photographer. To help mark the 50th anniversary celebrations of Miami University’s presence in Luxembourg, Haag showcased her photography at a student alumni art exhibition held at the Aalt Stadhaus in Differdange. She says it was an unmissable opportunity to give back to the university to which she owes so much.