Hometown: Colon, MI
Major and class standing: Graphic Design, senior
Instagram: stomlinson_7
Where you interned at: The Kresge Foundation, based out of Troy, MI

What was your internship title and role/responsibilities?
As a Digital Communications Undergraduate Summer Intern, my responsibilities included Creating and publishing weekly digital intern introduction stories for newsletters, social media, and website, producing high-quality graphics and digital/video content for website, social media, email newsletter, and other communications channels, and assisting the communications team with digital projects on an ad hoc basis (webinars, convenings, events, etc.)

How did you obtain your internship? What resources did you utilize to secure your internship?
The internship opportunity was originally brought to my attention through a mass email that was sent to all GD majors. To secure the internship, I spent a lot of time looking through different pages and resources on the foundation’s website, but I think the biggest factor was that I heavily researched the individuals who interviewed me prior to the interviews. My supervisor mentioned that he was overly impressed by the questions I asked during the interview, and I have always thought of the “Do you have any questions” portion of the interview as the most important. I was able to ask questions that were either specifically tailored to Kresge or to the interviewer.

What did your daily routine include?
Every day was a little bit different, but I usually had a few meetings each week that I attended over Zoom/in-person. The internship was mostly remote, but I was fortunate to be able to drive to Troy once a week to participate in weekly meetings and get to work face-to-face with members of the communications team. Every morning I would start the work day by writing down meetings for the day and tasks that needed to be completed, and then I would journal a little about the day before.

Your favorite experience from the internship?
I would say my favorite experience from the internship was being able to head the ideation and creation of the weekly intern profiles. There’s this preconceived notion that internships are only beneficial as a section to add to your resume, but that was absolutely not the case with this experience. I had complete creative freedom and was able to produce and publish something that I am proud to share with my peers and loved ones.

What was your least favorite part of the internship?
My least favorite part of the internship was spending most of my time working remotely. Although I would say that I am a little on the introverted side, I still truly enjoy in-person work settings. It is genuinely easier to communicate face-to-face, and I prefer having company rather than sitting at a desk in my little apartment all day by myself.

What skills did you learn and/or build upon during your internship?
I learned that it is necessary to get out of my comfort zone to create something I didn’t even know I had the capabilities to do. At first, I was having a hard time thinking about what I had learned from the internship because graphic design is a very independent process in itself, but I started to realize that my supervisor was purposely pushing me out of my comfort zone by asking me to dive into programs that I had a base level of experience in. This allowed me to discover new possibilities within the Adobe Creative Suite and a new potential within myself. I also learned a bit about how a foundation with internal and external programs approaches a brand audit to create a simplified system for brand recognition.

What did you learn about the industry or your career path as a result of the internship? What are your future plans?
My internship experience allowed me to take my previous knowledge and apply it in a real workplace environment. One thing I was able to do during my internship that I didn’t have much experience in is communicating with a local printer to get quotes and proofs, and then order a product. I learned about the language and necessary information needed to communicate with the printer in order to receive a correctly printed product. My experience with The Kresge Foundation has influenced my future career trajectory by showing me what it means to use graphic design and communications for a bigger purpose, and I look forward to more opportunities like this one to continue to do just that.

What advice do you have for other students seeking out internship opportunities?
Try, try, and try again! I know it might be discouraging if you don’t get an interview or don’t get the first couple of internships you apply for, but trust me… I’ve been there! You have to keep your head up because there is someone out there who will see your potential and allow you the opportunity to show what you’re made of.