Request Info > Apply > Visit Us >

I talked to Benek in late June, 2015, while he was visiting his parents in Fairfield. Benek graduated from MIU in 2005 in a Bachelor of Fine Arts, with an emphasis on digital media.

Benek and his two children

If you have read his profile on the MIU site, you already know that Benek and his brother, Alek, shared the valedictorian award that year.

At MIU, Benek met his wife, Jenny (formerly Davy), who hailed from a meditator family in New Zealand. In 2007, they moved to Auckland, NZ, and, since then have had two children: Leo (3) and Max (9 months).

Benek, a self-employed web and interaction designer, has had no trouble building his client base in New Zealand. His most recent project has been the design for a complex web app created by a global travel company with headquarters in Auckland. Because of the many design challenges in the interface, Benek says this is the most meticulous and satisfying work he’s ever done.

“Since you work from home for clients all over the world, how is the communication between you and your colleagues and clients on each project?” I asked. Benek said they’ve getting it done by using InVision—an app that allows him to present his team with hi-fidelity, interactive mockups that can be commented on directly on the screen. This creates a very contextual and efficient design feedback process.

Benek’s New Zealand Home

Benek deeply appreciates the design principles he learned at MIU. “Website technology changes constantly,” Benek said,“But in design, while trends come and go, they always revolve around basic and unchanging principles. I love that mix of stability and adaptability.”

I asked Benek about his life in New Zealand. Benek says that, “Even though Auckland has a population of 1.5 million, the laid back feel of New Zealand pervades this big city, too.” He also tells me that New Zealand enjoys temperatures that never go below freezing and rarely above the 80’s; beautiful beaches, rainforests, and mountains. “New Zealand has a great lifestyle and is a fantastic place to raise a family”, Benek says.

In recent months, Benek and Jenny bought a house in Auckland just a seven-minute walk from the ocean. You can learn more about Benek’s design business at his official website.

Ruthie Hutchings is a contributor the the MUM blogs. She did graduate work in English Literature at Emory University, holds an MA in Professional Writing from Maharishi University, and also does writing and editing for websites, magazines, books, and instructional materials.