Before Nickelodeon called, Hillenburg (‘84, Natural Resources Planning and Interpretation) wanted to design exhibits at aquariums or coastal parks.
“Being at Humboldt really helped me explore all the things l was interested in,” he told Humboldt Stater in 2006. He immersed himself in the natural sciences, but halfway through his schooling, he had a revelation: he was more fond of paint brushes than microscopes.
“I always had a passion for art; I just never really believed that someone would actually pay me to do something like that,” said Hillenburg. “My pragmatic side had been saying, ‘Well, you better learn something practical.’ So I decided to shift gears and pursue both science and art.”
Read about Stephen Hillenburg’s journey from Oklahoma to Humboldt State here (pdf).