URBN

The path to my summer internship at URBN started in late October—a good five or six months before I thought I needed to begin my internship search. The first part of the process was to electronically submit a resume, cover letter, personalized mood board for the position you wanted, and a small portfolio selection. As I was applying for the graphic design internship at Urban Outfitters, I kept everything light and fun, allowing personality to overtake the sense of seriousness often associated with resumes. In November I received a call stating that I had made progress in the process, and was invited in for an interview in early January. About a month after my visit to URBN’s campus in Philadelphia’s Navy Yard, I was told that I would be returning in the summer for the internship.

Throughout my internship, I worked under Joel Evey, the Print Art Director for the in-­house design team. A majority of my assignments were event posters — individual stores have their own events, and send in a specific request for posters advertising the event. I also worked on putting together a men’s trend book for in-house use, a labeling unit for bedding packaging, gift card concepts, and new logos. I enjoyed doing the posters and learned a lot from doing them, but I think the logo options are my prized possessions.

Through my internship, I learned the ins and outs of an in-­house design department. Though Urban Outfitters is a large company and URBN even larger, the business model and attitude is very individualized. Many times, one person can change how something looks in the 170+ stores nationwide. The personal stress of quick turnarounds and constant striving for originality was hard but also very humbling. Perhaps the most important asset of my internship was neither my actions nor the work I made, but rather the personal connections I made. The entire department is full of people who are where I would like to be after graduation, and even now I can take away and learn from their wisdom and friendship.

urbn.com

Cartoon Network

My name is Natalie Fitzgerald and I’m a senior Graphic Design major with a concentration in Book Arts. I spent the summer of 2012 as a graphic design intern for Cartoon Network in Atlanta, GA. Cartoon Network is a cable television channel that focuses on animated programming for children and young adults. I found the position by searching for places I thought I would enjoy working and seeing if they had internship programs, which many did, and applying according to their protocol. I was especially interested in Cartoon Network because I hope to make a career of designing for children, and because I consider myself an illustrator as well as a designer. Cartoon Network seemed like the perfect chance to do work that would marry the two.

My direct supervisor was senior graphic designer Petrika Janssen, but I recieved assignments, feedback, and advice from all six members of the print design and on-air/motion graphics team. I even had many opportunities to talk and work one-on-one with the creative director of Cartoon Network and its sister channel Adult Swim, Jacob Escobedo. During the course of the internship, I worked on many projects to promote the channel and its shows including three illustrated posters, a billboard, several instances of custom lettering, concepts for a press kit and music video that are both being produced, and more. I was treated as a true member of the team and was regularly trusted as sole designer on my projects. I am extremely proud of everything I was able to work on this summer, but the thing that stands out most is having the very first project I worked on, an illustrated map that was part of an interactive game at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, become a sought-after item that was written about on numerous blogs and can be found selling as a collectible on eBay.

I loved having the opportunity to become part of a fast-paced design team. Even though there were some tasks I found difficult, it is invaluable to me to know that I was able to not only keep up, but to contribute in a meaningful way. The experience solidified my desires to design for a young demographic and to work in the design department of a large organization where I would work with a set client/brand rather than at a design studio with many. It also piqued an interest in the entertainment industry, which will inform my career choices from here out. I definitely grew as a designer through this experience and will carry the knowledge and confidence I gained as I move forward.

160over90

This summer, I was lucky enough to intern with 160over90, a branding agency located in Center City, Philadelphia. 160 is fast-paced perfectionism functioning at its finest. They had me sprinting to keep up, to say the least.

My intern supervisors, Jenny Tondera and Doug Richard, acted as the hip and forever-cool Mom and Pop of the Creative Interns. They provided guidance in- and outside of the office. Need help picking a typeface? Need to find a great local bar? Check and check. The two of them had clearly worked to create a program that engaged their interns beyond the normal 9-5 office shift. They assigned me projects until I had proven my work ethic and abilities, at which time the company treated me like any other employee, assigning me regular work directly.

For the first couple of weeks, I helped build case studies, run errands, and carry out other small jobs. It was not until another designer at 160 got bogged down with brand concepting (a process that requires 90 hour work weeks…) that I finally had the opportunity to prove my talents and dedication. The responsibility that the managers handed to me was liberating and invigorating, and I will be ever thankful for the chance.

I dove into work for major clients like UCLA, the New York Jets, and Felician College. The work was intense, and at times highly-stressful, but the emotional payoff was rewarding and I came out of the internship with a far better idea of future directions I may pursue and my creative process in general. I feel prepared to enter the working art world as an immediate contributor, but am likely to follow a more socially-conscious path at first, perhaps for an NGO or community organization.

Shen Wei Dance Arts

I am a junior GFA major and am in the MAT Program. In my major, I have been experimenting with my love of painting and my former love of dance and have been making performance art where these two arts are combined. During the summer of 2012 I was an intern at Shen Wei Dance Arts. They are located in the heart of Manhattan, which is where the company was founded. Because they use dance as more of an art, using the body as the medium, this company has built a reputation for performing a “different” and “unique” form of dance. I was one of five interns who worked closely with the office staff of the company.

I found out about this internship in January on a website. I sent in my resume and cover letter and was lucky enough to get an interview with them where I showed them my work and shared my love for theirs. At Shen Wei Dance Arts, I worked in event planning, finances, and media/press to help company run. My direct supervisor was the event planner. She was in charge of running and planning the spring gala in May, which was one of my major assignments, and the summer intensive in July. For the gala, I was in charge of making the place cards, organizing the guest list, making the playbills, and helping to run the auction. At the actual event, the company performed two pieces which were breathtaking and inspiring to see live and up-close. I think the most important thing that I learned was exactly how a non-profit arts organization works. Perhaps I will even be a part of one in the future.

Base Design

My name is Ben Sifel, and I’m a senior Graphic Design major. During the summer, I was a graphic design intern for Base Design’s New York office. I worked alongside one other intern from RISD, and three other designers.

I found out about Base during one of many internship hunts I had where I basically just went on every possible blog I could for various firms, looking through resume after resume, portfolio after portfolio. I found the work of someone who had interned at Base Design, and I was immediately interested after seeing their
work online. They seemed to have a mix of creative work and commercial work that I thought was exciting and could be a productive learning experience for me. I was also really excited by the fact that for having offices in so many different cities (besides New York, they have offices in Brussels, Barcelona, Santiago, and Madrid), it was still a very small and intimate studio. I applied and was thrilled when I was offered the position.

From the very first day, I was treated like any other member of the staff. I was given the project of designing signage/material for a fashion tradeshow in New York and Las Vegas called Project. While I started off working alongside one of my fellow co-workers, eventually I started working on this project exclusively and basically was what I spent most of my internship doing. I also assisted in promotional material for Pantone, as well as package mock-ups for a women’s lingerie brand called Fleur de Mal. One of my favorite moments of the internship was staying till midnight with my co-worker Ethan working on this—we both agreed that it was not something we had ever expected to be doing for a job.

Working in such a small studio, as well as basically tackling a project on my own, was such an incredible learning experience. It was also a challenge, as I quickly had to learn to adapt to deadlines and production issues, which you cannot ever truly replicate at school. I also learned how to work efficiently and balance different projects (and a ton of nifty shortcuts). I was also given rundowns on how to use Photoshop for website mock-ups (layer comps, etc), as well LESS coding. A huge part of working for a firm is learning to adapt quickly; though I did not know either of those things, I was expected to learn swiftly and be working after just an hour or two.

Despite all of those projects, I think my most important role at Base was teaching all of my co-workers various American slang, as I was the only American in the office. A few highlights: tipsy, lone wolf, and bummer.

Cadmium CD

My Name is Rachel Vrankin and I am a senior Graphic Design major. In the summer of 2012, I was selected to work with an interaction design company, Cadmium CD, based in Bel Air, Maryland. This small company creates mobile apps and many other tools to simplify the process of educational conferences for attendees and speakers. I was recommended by a friend to apply, so I submitted my resume and portfolio. I was asked to come in for an interview, during which I showed my work, and was hired that day.

My direct supervisor was Peter Wyatt, who owns the company with his wife, Michelle. They oversee everything that goes on at Cadmium CD, and Peter plays an integral role in the design side of things. I mainly worked with Peter and the company's developer, Airyo Shahry. Most of my projects revolved around the company's main product, eventScribe. This mobile app allows attendees to view and take notes on presentations they see at a conference, and a full summary of their activity can be displayed for them. I was responsible for redesigning a homepage and options screen for the app, and had to format each design for iPhone, iPad, and Android. I also completely redesigned a full website which is essentially a personal summary for conference attendees. This site allows them to view their notes, presentations, and data after a conference has ended.

I am most proud of the website for the personal summary that I redesigned. I was given a lot of creative freedom with this site and took some risks. Peter was very excited with the finished product, and I cannot wait to see the website go live soon.

Interning at Cadmium CD was a great experience, and I have learned a lot about interaction design. My experience this summer has really inspired me to work even more with web and interaction design, and to build and launch my own product in the future.

Christopher Fischer Cashmere

My name is Kathe Kaczmarzyk and I’m a junior Painting major with an Art History minor. During the summer of 2012, I interned for a cashmere knitwear company in New York City called Christopher Fischer Cashmere. I found this internship through my father, who does custom woodworking and has worked with the company several times building furniture for their offices and stores. I interned at Christopher Fischer last summer and secured it by meeting with the vice president of the company, Charlene Kuo, and discussing my skills and what I could help out with for the summer. Upon returning this summer, I proved myself to be a valuable and hard worker, and was encouraged to come back for this summer and help the designers and become more of a design intern.

Christopher Fischer Cashmere is a knitwear fashion company located in the heart of the fashion district in NYC. Many of the workers there are British and the company’s roots stem from the United Kingdom. They are a high-end company where everything is designed in their office in NYC. My direct supervisor was Charlene Kuo.

My title at Christopher Fischer was design intern so I mostly worked with the design team, but if any other department (such as sales or shipping) needed help I would work with them too. I usually helped Pam, the women’s apparel designer. When I first arrived in the summer, Pam was wrapping up everything for Spring 2013 but she wanted me to design a scarf for the line before she wrapped it up. I was given the freedom to design the scarf but had to take into account some pre-set criteria for the scarf: it had to be shells with a repeating pattern, colorful, and no larger than a certain size. The rest of that project was open for me to interpret in any way I wanted. Pam was very pleased with the results and it will be sold in the Spring ’13 collection.

When we started designing for fall '13, we had to conduct research which involved going through magazines,
looking through countless blogs,
and just trying to find inspiration anywhere. From there we printed out tons of images and began organizing mood boards where Christopher would always come and check in and give us feedback on our ideas or anything he was thinking of adding to the collection. I was also given a mini side project by Christopher to do for the baby collection. When I interned at Christopher Fischer previously, I did projects using their old cashmere sweaters and in a sense “recycling” them by either making sweaters for the women’s collection or making stuffed animals for the baby collection. This summer I was given the task of making animal face masks out of the old sweaters for the baby collection. I was given the freedom to come up with whatever I wanted and approach the project any way I felt was best.

I am most proud of the fact that I was given so much more freedom to be creative this summer and that the designers, my supervisor, and Christopher trusted me and my work ethic enough that they enjoyed hearing my ideas and let me work on all these exciting projects. I really felt as if I was an employee at Christopher Fischer this summer, not just an intern.  I have taken away so much from working there and am so grateful for everything I learned and was able to accomplish.

As much as I miss Christopher Fischer, I am not sure if I can imagine myself being in the fashion business once I graduate college; but even as a Painting major who has never taken a Fibers class, I never felt that I could not do anything I was assigned. I taught myself how to knit and crochet and was able to just fall into place with the designers. When I had ideas or questions I would always approach the designers or anyone else who worked there, and it all adds up to more skills than I would have if I were to have just stayed within the field of painting. This internship has showed me that I do not have to limit myself to just painting jobs. After all, I was able to handle myself for two summers at a fashion company and become an important aspect in it without ever having been formally taught in the fiber arts.

Rand Diversified

My name is Alayna Citrin and I am a sophomore Graphic Design major with concentrations in Books Arts and Sustainability & Social Practice. During the summer of 2012, I secured an internship at Rand Diversified, working as a graphic design intern. I found the opportunity through my neighbor, who works in the marketing and sales division. He helped me set up an interview with the creative director, Rob Dudzinski, after which I secured a paid internship for the summer within the design department.

Rand Diversified creates point-of-purchase (POP) displays for companies to promote and sell their products. They are involved in many areas of design, including the creation of 3D models of the displays, the designing of the artwork and imagery, and the printing of comps for clients. Rand is unique because with its two manufacturing plants located in other parts of the country, it is often able to follow each project through from conception to distribution. I worked with the creative director as well as several other designers in the design department to complete several projects and help out around the office. I was given a variety of assignments and tasks such as designing artwork, creating renderings, photographing white models, prepping files for printing, and correcting images and other pieces of artwork.

Additionally, the two other interns and I were assigned a major project to collaborate on in a two-week time period. We had to research and propose a marketing relaunch for Excedrin, which has been off the shelves for several months. Using our individual skills we created a presentation including slides, handout sheets with thumbnails, messaging, renderings, and comps of displays. We presented it to employees at Rand as well as a representative from Novartis, who were all very impressed with the work that we did. Though we are not yet sure of the outcome, it is possible that our work could be used by Novartis in the near future on their new displays. I am most proud of this project because of our ability to collaborate using our different skills with a professional and successful outcome.

This internship also helped me to affirm my desire to work in branding and identity. Though I gained a lot of experience in the graphic design field, I found that I prefer working with companies from the start and building up a brand rather than using previously created artwork and reworking it for a new purpose.

One of the most important things I learned was how to work as a designer within an office environment. I am often very introverted and most of my graphic design work has been as a freelancer working in the comfort of my own room. I am so grateful that I was able to work with a staff of intelligent, friendly, and talented people who were all obviously very passionate about the work they do. I hope that when I am applying for jobs that I can find a company who believes in their work and supports their coworkers the way the people at Rand Diversified did.

Thomas Robertello Gallery

My name is Michael Bussell and I am a junior Photography major. My internship took place in Chicago at Thomas Robertello Gallery. The gallery was established in 2006 and shows emerging and mid-­career contemporary artists. My supervisor and director of the gallery, Thomas, informed me during our interview that he would be out of town for the first two weeks of my internship and that my introduction would be provided by his gallery assistant, Aaron Smith, who interviewed me as well. He showed me how the art was packaged and stored, as well as how the gallery communicated with artists, other galleries, curators, museums, and writers/publications.

When Thomas returned, I began photographing installation documentation of the show as well as project space, which included detail shots that were also used on the website in place of his original studio photos that were up. The project space was particularly challenging to photograph as it was very small, but it provided a good introduction to working
with the environment.



Along with subsequent openings and other pieces that I was asked to re-­photograph for the gallery’s inventory, I was given various research projects related to marketing and promoting the work. I compiled lists of works on paper curators in conjunction with a show of Molly Springfield’s graphite drawings. I was also asked to write a press release for a show of photographs that would open after I left, as well as find a new mass email service for the gallery to use.

Ben Dale

My name is Aimee Fleck, and I’m a senior Illustration major. During the summer of 2012 I interned with Ben Dale, an independent comic writer and artist, in his studio in Brooklyn, New York. I learned about the opportunity from my previous semester’s "Advanced Sequential Art" instructor, Joan Hilty. She knew Ben and was aware that he was looking for a studio intern to help him with his work, and when I expressed interest she put us in contact. After e-mailing back and forth about the details of the internship, I was hired and made the arrangements to move to Brooklyn for the summer.

Ben was working towards finishing and publishing a young adult fantasy graphic novel, a project
he had been working on for nearly a year. I was hired to help lay in colors on otherwise-finished pages. I
spent six hours three days a week digitally ‘flatting' pages, which means coloring the images with solid blocks of color that could later be selected and modified. I worked alongside him in his studio while he continued
to pencil and ink the remaining pages of the novel. While this was largely monotonous work, flatting is
an important part of the digital illustration process, and I believe I became faster and more effective at
the task. There were also a few situations in which Ben indicated he would keep my color choices, and I am very proud of that.

The experience taught me a great deal about the process of working on a long-term project, comic or otherwise. The amount of organization and thought, not to mention confidence, required to start and continue with such a project is staggering. It was enlightening to see what Ben’s process was for each part of the job—from scripting to inking, to his thoughts on character design and development. When I had taken comics classes in the past, I had come to the conclusion that longer comics might not be for me—however, watching Ben work, I think I may have been mistaken. It is not the format that
makes it difficult, but the concept! To create a novel-length work, the artist must truly believe in the idea at the core of it, or they will fail simply because it is not important enough to them that they finish it.

ABC Carpet & Home

Hello, my name is Alexandra Caivano and I am currently a junior in the process of changing majors from GFA to Fibers. Part of this decision is due to the internship I completed this past summer at ABC Carpet & Home in New York City. I was one of two interns who were part of the Visual team. I found this internship through a friend whose sister works at the company, and I went into the city as soon as I could when I was invited to an interview and portfolio review. I was offered the internship on the spot. I actually did not accept the internship right away because I had another interview at Jonathan Adler, but in the end I chose ABC (though I might intern for Jonathan Adler in the future).

ABC Carpet & Home is one of the premier interior decorating companies in the country and has been in business since 1897, when they only sold carpets. Since then the company has expanded dramatically, and focuses its attention on sustainability, fair trade, and products with a cause. Overall the company makes conscious decisions regarding products they buy and sell.

Throughout my internship I was constantly working, moving from one project to the next. There was never a dull moment. The first project I completed was for an Ingrid Michaelson event that coincided with a new line of couches called “Ghost.” I made a crochet piece that was recently re-invented for a fashion event hosted by Diane Von Furstenberg. I was self-guided for most of the internship, and I also worked on windows, displays, and research projects. My supervisor, Manena Frasier, is the visual director of ABC. Throughout the internship, she gave me helpful advice on projects and provided always-constructive criticism.

I think the best thing about this internship was that it opened up so many possibilities for me in the future. I never thought about a job in displays and merchandising until this summer and now it is something I could definitely see myself doing. I had been unsure before the internship about whether I should change my major to Fibers, but my experience at ABC made me realize that I really do have a passion for the industry and switching majors would indeed be the best course.

RiXing Type Foundry

My name is Jessica Yun-Tien Wen and I am a junior Graphic Design student with a Book Arts concentration at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA).

During July in summer 2012, I interned at RiXing Type Foundry in Taipei, Taiwan. It was a solid month of brand new experience concentrating on traditional Chinese typography and letterpress. As a graphic design student here at MICA, I learn about detailed typographic rules and the skill set for English typography, and constantly work in the digital format. However, I have always wanted to have more hands-on experience with typography in my native language and culture, Chinese/Taiwanese. The experience of interning at RiXing turned out to be exactly what I wanted, and I am really grateful for what I saw and experienced during that month.

My first encounter and visit to RiXing was back in summer 2011, and it was an eye-opening experience.
The letterpress system with which I am familiar here in the States contains only 26 letters in the alphabet;
however, the catalog of traditional Chinese characters has a much greater breadth. In RiXing's categorization system, there are 2000+ frequently-used words and 7000+ ordinary words. Try to imagine the process of categorizing and placing each type...it is certainly a difficult task. Not to mention the fact that RiXing carries three different fonts and eight different font sizes. The shop might seem old and dusty, but it is full of treasure, history, and unique values.

During my stay at RiXing, I got to experience all work processes for the shop: character repair/ design, copper matrix creation using a CNC machine, metal types casting, type setting, organizing, and printing. All these processes link tightly with one another, and I am really thankful for the supportive attitude of Mr.Chang, the shop owner. I learned so much simply by talking to him on a daily basis.

Overall, this experience at RiXing was amazing. Although I know I will not continue in this industry for my future career, it was certainly a revealing journey with tons of sweat (literally--the temperature goes up to 617°F when casting the types!) and even more in the way of valuable experience. I am grateful for this unique internship opportunity at RiXing and am excited for any other internship experience in the near future.

The Albany Brass Ring Carousel

My name is MaryElise Collier and I am a junior Fibers major with concentrations in Illustration and Experimental Fashion. This summer I interned at the Albany Brass Ring Carousel in Albany, Oregon. I live in the next town over, and some family friends mentioned I should check the carousel project out. I visited the studio during winter break and asked Tyson Brown, the volunteer coordinator, about internship possibilities. The carousel operates almost 100% on volunteers and will take most anyone who really wants to learn to carve and paint, so setting it up as an internship went very smoothly.

As an intern I started by carving a pineapple, which helped me learn the process. I quickly carved two pineapples and Jack, the lead carver, deemed me good enough to move on to a ‘hobby horse head’ of a quagga, an extinct species of zebra. That took much longer, nearly a month, to carve, but it was a great experience and I learned a lot from it. It was an exercise in turning 2-D images into a 3-D form. When I was done with both the pineapples and the quagga, I was able to paint them. We used all oils and were instructed to use the stippling method so there would be no visible brush strokes. Toward the end of my summer there, Jack allowed me to work on carving detail into one of the actual carousel horses. I worked to correct a dog that had already been carved but not to the carousel’s standard. I thoroughly enjoyed all projects, but I am most proud of my quagga head. I was able to work a lot of detail into it, and the paint job on it also came out very nicely.

I had a great time at the carousel and wish I could have spent more time there. I learned a great deal about hand-carving and even bought my own set of palm tools and files. I was also able to learn a new painting technique that I am sure will come in handy later on. Being able to learn in that environment was invaluable; I was able to work without pressure of a looming deadline while still being able to get assistance from experienced workers whenever I needed it. It was an all-around amazing experience and I will most likely return there when I am home for break.

Life Is Good

My name is Caitlin Cawley and I am a current Graphic Design major. During my freshman year, I completed an internship at an advertising company and afterwards began brainstorming where I would like to have my next internship. Life is Good, a company I grew up with, was one of those on my list. I am a fan of their page on Facebook and noticed that they had recently posted job positions for graphic designers. Although there were no internship postings, I still decided to email my packet containing my resume, a cover letter, and samples from my portfolio to the contact listed. I heard back immediately; however, there were not going to be any internships for graphic designers that summer. The Human Resources representative included information about an internship for apparel designers and thought that I may be interested. I set up a phone interview with the two designers I learned I would be working alongside. After the interview I knew for certain that it was an internship I really wanted. Shortly thereafter I was contacted again to come in for an in‐person interview at the flagship store in Boston where the design offices are held, and not much later I was offered the internship.

Life is Good is a lifestyle brand that was founded in Boston, MA. They produce casual apparel for men, women, and kids as well as accessories such as mugs, water bottles, beach towels, and dog toys. The products are easily recognized due to their bright colors and Jake, their mascot. The company believes in the power of optimism and giving back, and all employees of the company embrace this optimism and are very enthusiastic about what they do.

At Life is Good I worked with Lesley Potter, apparel designer for women and girls, and Molly Bodurtha, apparel designer for men, boys, and infants. These women develop the sketches and silhouettes for all apparel products produced at the company as well as the color palettes and color flow from season to season. As their intern, I dealt a lot with color. Among my first projects was going through the color library to select a blue fabric swatch that would fit with the other colors selected for the Holiday 2013 line. I pulled several swatches and one of them was picked to be used in the line. I also named several new colors featured in the men's and women's Fall/Winter and Holiday 2013 lines.

In addition to the color work, I also designed and curated several presentation boards for the company. The company wanted a board dedicated to label branding for the future direction of the company, and I was assigned the task of designing it. I researched label branding to generate images for the board. The images I ultimately used on the board were a combination of the best images I found in my research and actual labels from shirts and pants. The board was used in design meetings at the company and was saved as a reference. Due to the company's satisfaction with the previous board I designed, I was given another project for which I had to curate boards with printed images featuring all clothing products from the Spring/Summer 2013 lines. The boards were to be used in company design meetings as well as in meetings with other retailers that sell Life is Good products, such as Hallmark and The Paper Store. In total, I curated twenty different presentation boards for this project.

The work that I completed was of value to Life is Good and I am very proud of it all, but I would have to say that I am most proud of the label branding board. I learned so much from this internship--and although I did not improve my skills as a graphic designer, this internship opened me up to another aspect of design I had never been exposed to before and most likely would never have experienced if I did had been brought on as a graphic design intern after all. I learned a lot about working in a quick-paced professional environment and how important communication is in that kind of setting. I also formed valuable professional contacts whom I plan on staying in touch with throughout my career as a designer. I hope to one day work as a graphic designer in the fashion/apparel field and I feel as though this experience has made me a more well-rounded designer.

Ashton Design

My name is Bo Ra Kim and I am a senior Environmental Design major with a Graphic Design concentration. Over the summer of 2012 I interned at Ashton Design, a graphic design studio that produces brochures, college admissions and development publications, websites, environmental graphics, and even prototypes for public sculpture. I found this internship opportunity from Brockett Horne, the chair of graphic design at MICA, who knows my interest in Environmental Graphic Design. I submitted my resume, cover letter, and portfolio to Jenny Hoffman, the creative director at Ashton, and had an interview with Ronald Younts, the principal and design director.

At Ashton Design, my projects included working on a poster card, designing environmental graphics, and creating graphic design mock-ups. I especially enjoyed the environmental graphic design projects, which are unique from anything I have worked on in class at MICA. It is the perfect blend of my dual interests in Environmental and Graphic Design.

When I was involved in the concept design for Pentagon Row, I had to come up with a signage for a parking lot. Since it was my first time doing environmental graphic design, I was both challenged and excited by the task. I also involved in a MICA project, for which I designed a banner and a wall ID sign.

Interning at Ashton Design gave me a very valuable opportunity to build strong connections, learn how to communicate with people in the field, and develop my graphic design skills. The people I worked with were very friendly and gave me advice about class and internships. Interning at this studio has only made me more eager to work in the environmental graphic design industry.

Jewish Museum of Maryland

My name is Matt Oliva and I am a junior Art History and Photography major. I was one of two summer 2011 photo archive interns at the Jewish Museum of Maryland in Baltimore, a position I found through MICAnetwork and the Museum's website. After submitting a ream and cover letter, Rachel Kassman, the Photo Archivist at the Jewish Museum of Maryland, requested a phone interview and I was hired about a week later.

The Jewish Museum of Maryland is located in Jonestown, Baltimore, the historic center of Jewish life in the city. Its mission is to preserve and tell the story of Jewish life in America, with particular focus on Maryland. The museum property includes two historic synagogues, and its collection consists of thousands of objects, documents, and photographs that were made, owned, or used by Maryland Jews. The breadth of the collection allows the museum to paint a fascinating and complete picture of Jewish life in America over the past two centuries.

My projects as Photo Archive Intern were many and varied, ranging from collections inventory to scanning images. The most significant projects I was assigned were processing the Baltimore Jewish Times photo archive and working with images for an upcoming exhibition on Jewish life in suburbia, called "Jews on the Move." In 2011 the Jewish Times moved offices, and donated their entire photographic print archive from the late 1970s to early 2000s to the museum. This archive consisted of tens of thousands of images ranging from those taken by staff photographers to Op Art and images licensed from the Associated Press. The images taken by staff photographers had to be separated from the rest, sorted alphabetically by subject, and rehoused in archival folders and boxes. The final collection remaining at the museum consists of roughly ten thousand images in forty boxes now accessible to staff and researchers. Another project, and perhaps the one I am most proud of, was image scanning and research for "Jews on the Move." This involved digitizing the images temporarily loaned to the museum for use in the exhibition, as well as using Jewish Times back issues to find and digitize real estate ads. These ads then had to be thoroughly researched in order to achieve image permissions for exhibition research. All of the images digitized will be used on the back panels in the exhibition, and will be one of the main visual components of the exhibition.

Interning at the Jewish Museum of Maryland was extremely beneficial in that it allowed me to have hands-on experience with collections in a museum setting and really cemented my interest in this field as a future career. I feel as though I have gained significant experience that can be applied in future internships and jobs through amount of time I spent handing not only photographs, but archives and objects as well. I worked extensively with museum databases, numbering systems, and image digitization, and additionally processed collections from their initial accession through their final cataloging and storage. Throughout these tasks I was often able to apply my photography-specific art history knowledge to identify and date photographs based on everything from the processes used in their creation to elements of their subject matter. While I am still not sure exactly what kind of institution I intend to work with, this internship has most certainly affirmed my interest in working with special collections as a career, and I look forward to using the skills I acquired in future jobs.

Frank Hallam Day

When I first applied for this internship, I had no idea what I was getting into--all I knew was that I would have to drive two or more hours three days a week to DC, and that I was going to work with this fantastic photographer, Frank Hallam Day. On my first day of the internship, Frank put me right to work with editing images that he was going to later hand out in packets during his travels to Europe to accept his Leica Oskar Barnack Prize for his series of RV Night photographs.




I spent many, many, many hours of the day just staring in front of the computer screen editing photographs, designing templates in InDesign, and printing and reprinting these images until they were perfected to Frank's liking. I was so surprised how much he trusted me right away with these images that had won him an award; I thought it would have taken him some time to trust me with my editing skills because I have never really edited photos to the extent that he does. He did help me along the way with the editing and I had to ask him a few times until I got the hang of it if he approved of what and how I edited. Learning the key moves and editing modes in Photoshop was invaluable knowledge; I am so glad I finally know how to do these so I can use them in my own work.

Before he went away for a month in July to accept his award, we traveled to Georgetown where some of his work was going to be shown. The purpose of the show was to allow a gallery to pick out pieces it wanted to use in a show it would present later in July. That was a really amazing experience because I had no idea what went into submitting work to a gallery and picking which pieces would be shown.

When Frank got back from his adventures in Europe, we got right back to work with editing and printing a nine-panel print of the underside of 95 in Baltimore. This piece would hang in a show that is currently going on in Artisphere in Arlington, Virginia until the beginning of November. That was an even more amazing experience than the one in Georgetown because I was the one hanging up these images for hundreds of people to see in an actual art gallery. I cannot even describe how important it was. I also went to the gallery opening and am glad I did because I was able to talk to the other artists in the show and get their take on the experience of being a up-and-coming artist.

This summer was an overall great opportunity for me. I learned so much about the art world from the perspective of an individual artist. Frank is definitely living the photographer's dream and I hope to some day be as great as he is and accomplish what he has.

Shannon Associates

My name is Christina Dacanay and I’m a senior Illustration major. Over this past summer I was an intern for an artist agency called Shannon Associates in New York. One of my teachers at MICA, Alan Comport, worked for them for a number of years and directed me to them during the school year. Shannon Associates represents over 100 illustrators worldwide and they’re responsible for connecting clients to artists, managing the contracts and finances, and promoting the artists.

I shared an office space with Simon Bollinger, a senior artist agent who has worked at SA for nearly 20 years as both an agent and chief financial officer. My responsibilities initially included graphic design work for all the printed promotional material for the represented artists, uploading portfolios, and key wording. As I was able to showcase more diverse skills, I was set to the task of setting up, improving, and managing SA’s Internet presence on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Behance, and a number of other platforms.

While I am proud of the online network I created for Shannon Associates, I’m most proud of the relationships I developed with my bosses. Because I was the only intern I felt able to flex my muscles in an attempt to impress them, and they responded with enthusiasm and support. They are two very good friends and resources I plan on keeping close. They rewarded me with lots of very valuable knowledge about the illustration field. I learned the basics of reading and understanding contracts, how to differentiate from a beautiful portfolio and a commercial one, and the true importance of adhering to deadlines. While my ultimate career goals remain a bit foggy, with the help of Shannon Associates I was able to apply my skills in a valuable way and build a network of knowledgeable friends.

Dawn of Man

My name is Morgan Cady-Lee and I’m a senior Photography major with a Video and Film Arts concentration and a Literary Arts minor. Over the summer I interned for a small projection company called Dawn of Man, which consists of three main people. They install projections for events, gallery openings, museums, and creative projects, and in many cases are also in charge of the video content. I was introduced to Lucas Flores Piran, the digital media manager at Dawn of Man, by my uncle’s boyfriend who thought that it might be an interesting opportunity for me. I was interested in the content creation and video editing that the internship would entail, as well as the fashion photography that Lucas works on independently from Dawn of Man.

Much the work I was given involved editing for their content and their promotional videos, which described what their company did and the types of clients they have had. One such video I worked on was of a MoMA garden party. Other times I in charge of editing a montage of clips of their outdoor projections of another company’s content. I learned a lot about video editing software, specifically Final Cut and After Effects, as well as how to change the content to suit the needs of a client. When there was an event, I accompanied the three, Lucas Flores Piran, Max Nova, and JR Skola, to help set up screens, projectors, and all of their other equipment. On these jobs I sometimes also filmed or photographed the event with one of their cameras. It was great to see a team of people working together to adapt to each situation and event according to what type of equipment and space they had. In addition to these events, I also assisted Lucas on his fashion shoots for various companies, including Holi Scarves and Jack Spade. During the shoots I would usually hold reflectors, check the photographs on the monitor while Lucas shot, and adjust lights. Afterward I helped edit the photographs and Lucas would give me direction on what type of look the he or the client sought.

Overall this internship taught me a lot technically in terms of learning new software and tools, as well as what it takes to succeed in business. There is a great relentlessness in the way they approached clients or packaged and pitched ideas to companies that did not even know who they were--and I saw how this relentlessness paid off. Despite being such a small company, Dawn of Man's clients include huge names like amfAR, Sony, and MoMA.

Seeing all three in Dawn of Man work together to handle stressful and intense event situations or striving to give clients what they need was more beneficial to me than anything else I experienced while working there. For me, working here was great because they had such a flexible schedule and gave me a lot of creative control while still providing direction when I needed it. A project that really exemplifies their balance of letting me run with my ideas but still lending me advice is the Facebook project, in which I made photo montages to promote their company on the social media site. I knew going into the internship that I was not necessarily interested in doing fashion photography or projection work, but it was great to be able to work for such a young and determined group that was able to succeed so soon after graduating college. Through them, I learned software and business techniques that will benefit me in whatever career I pursue.