Nicole Follen is a graduate of the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in graphic design and a minor in photography. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in photography from Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
In conjunction with teaching at BW, Follen is a photography instructor for the Cleveland Print Room, an institution that promotes the education of traditional film and darkroom processes. She is also a freelance designer and photographer in the Cleveland area.