Hometown: Dewitt, MI
Major and class standing: Graphic Design, Graduate
Where you interned: Cardinal Rule Press, Wixom, Michigan

What was your internship title and role/responsibilities?
I was a graphic design intern for Cardinal Rule Press. I helped create social media posts for book launches, events, webinar panels, and more. I also created for-print templates for their sister, nonprofit company—Making Spirits Bright—such as brochures and teacher events for their free book fairs. Additionally, I worked collaboratively with my fellow design and editorial interns to create a kid’s menu and reader’s guide for their upcoming book release.

How did you obtain your internship? What resources did you utilize to secure your internship?
Maggie Harris helped me update my resume and through Handshake I was able to get the internship at Cardinal Rule Press.

What did your daily routine include?
I worked between 10-15 hours a week remotely, using Asana where I would submit and/or update my team members on my progress. I’d often work from the morning to the mid-afternoon, mainly on social media content and blog posts. Every Thursday we would have a work session with some of the employees and other interns at Cardinal Rule where we could usually just work on whatever tasks were due or receive help from a mentor.

Your favorite experience from the internship?
My favorite experience was working on one of the last projects assigned, which was a collaborative project with the other interns at CRP. We had to design a template for a kid’s menu that had graphics and activities based on a series of kid’s books that CRP published.

What was your least favorite part of the internship?
Sometimes there would be a lack of communication regarding meeting times which was frustrating, but it would be addressed fairly quickly.

What skills did you learn and/or build upon during your internship?
I learned how to follow brand guides, how to edit videos, collaborate with different departments, and how to balance projects.

What did you learn about the industry or your career path as a result of the internship? What are your future plans?
I really enjoyed working with a publishing company, as someone who loves creative writing and books in general, I loved getting to work on graphics for books!

What advice do you have for other students seeking out internship opportunities?
Don’t be afraid to reach out to advisors and other professionals through Handshake!