Thanks for the reply. I'll certainly check out everything you mentioned. I know the majority of the software we have at school is from ESRI, so the other options are great to hear about. As a former graphic designer, I was one of the few who didn't jump on the all Adobe ship when they released InDesign. I always preferred Quark XPress, and it bothered me how quickly new designers dismissed it.

Just to give you a more complete picture, I do live in New Orleans and am attending the University of New Orleans. I'm technically a junior as I had a lot of transfer credits from my first attempt at a Studio Art degree. I'm at the point where the vast majority of credits I need for graduation are directly related to my major. That being said, I'm currently under qualified for a lot of internship opportunities in GIS related fields.

Thanks again for the information. I was initially drawn to the guild because of the artistry and it actually had some influence in my path when I decided to go back to school. I've been obsessed with maps for my entire life as well as art, so find a place where the two meet has been very exciting as well as educational.