One of my closest friends from home, Jonah, interned at Social Impact Studios (formerly known
as Design for Social Impact) in Philadelphia for two summers in a row. He always seemed to have a good experience with the organization, and I was interested in the work that they do. Jonah put in a good word for me, and I sent Ennis, the founder and director of the studio, my resume, cover letter, and work samples. Soon enough, I became their newest Summer intern. Social Impact Studios’ slogan is “We Communicate Good.” Thus, they use Graphic Design and clear, meaningful language to create identities and other materials for non-profit and for-profit organizations. Ennis and James were both my supervisors. I primarily worked with James, the creative director until he left at the end of July.
I was responsible for editing drafts of design work, creating different formats of what was already created, for example turning a brochure into a postcard or poster, organizing the archives of design work that the organization has completed over the past twenty years, and completing tasks around the office. In addition, I helped hang a gallery show for the traveling Posters for the People exhibition that Social Impact Studios presents, and I accompanied them to Social Media workshops that Ennis and the team also provide to other organizations in the area. I am most proud of the logos that I designed, because I had never designed logos before, and they trusted me to create some ideas for Public Interest Relations Group.
Most importantly, I was able to see what a real-world Graphic Design studio is like and how they function. It was very integral that I was actually in the office completing my tasks, because even if I wasn’t doing the most exciting work, I was still seeing Ennis and James interact with clients and run a successful organization. This internship has given me an idea of what I want when I graduate, as I know that I don’t necessarily want to design for small theatre companies and similar organizations, and I want to be in a more design/art focused place, but also work closely with the community.
-Marcy Gooberman '14, Graphic Design
