Hometown: Almont, MI
Major and class standing: Graphic Design, Senior
Where you interned: Farm Bureau Insurance, Lansing, MI
What was your internship title and role/responsibilities?
I was Farm Bureau Insurance’s graphic design intern and I was responsible for creating ads of all kinds (flyers, postcards, billboards, scoreboard signage, and many other things) per the request of the insurance agents, and was responsible for creating new 3 life campaigns over the summer.
How did you obtain your internship? What resources did you utilize to secure your internship?
I found this internship through Indeed and applied with my resume, portfolio, and cover letter. I was then asked to create a flyer for the company using the text they provided. Luckily they really liked what I had created and I went in for an interview with the team. A few days later I received a call when they offered me the position.
What did your daily routine include?
My daily routine was to start work around 8 am. The company is hybrid so I usually worked Mondays and Fridays remotely from home and went into the office Tuesday through Thursday. I would always check our work unit email to see if agents had sent in any requests. I would work on those when I had time and spend the rest of the time on my campaigns and meetings with my team. I worked a 40-hour work week and that was perfect to get everything done.
Your favorite experience from the internship?
My favorite experience of this internship was being able to meet and learn from such supportive and talented people. Everyone was so helpful and excited to help me succeed. My favorite thing I worked on was my final life campaign, I had complete creative freedom and loved being able to stray from the company’s look and try something new to see if agents and members enjoyed it.
What was your least favorite part of the internship?
My least favorite part was the full company meetings. Since I worked for an
insurance company that was based and founded on agriculture, a lot of meetings were about things that did not apply to me or what I was doing.
What skills did you learn and/or build upon during your internship?
Through this internship, I was able to get much quicker and more well-rounded in Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop. I also learned the basics of Adobe AfterEffects which is very useful so I can now venture into the world of motion graphics. Socially this experience has taught me much more about professional communication.
What did you learn about the industry or your career path as a result of the internship? What are your future plans?
This internship has taught me that graphic design is all about trial and error and rejection. Bringing people’s ideas to life is not always an easy path, but getting a final product everyone is happy with is extremely rewarding. Thankfully this has solidified the idea that I want to go into graphic design. I have gained so many skills and a different outlook on this career. In the future, I would love to expand my knowledge by interning or shadowing at an advertising agency so I can see how different it would be.
What advice do you have for other students seeking out internship opportunities?
The advice I would give to those looking for an internship is to be persistent. I began applying to internships the previous winter and applied to hundreds of internships before I landed this position in May. I felt like giving up and was getting discouraged. However, I am so grateful I kept looking because I ended up landing the best offer. I would also recommend that you take time to make your portfolio look professional and add a wide variety of work. Lastly, I would tell people to have confidence in interviewing and interviewing as much as you can even if you do not really want that position because it is great practice and it will just get easier and easier. Also, make sure you have questions for the interviewer as well to show you are interested. Remember that you are also interviewing them to see if it is a good fit for you.
