Internship Diary: Moving Mountains

In the midst of a typical evening in my apartment at Ball State consisting of chowing down on a grilled cheese and bindging on Netflix, I received an email from Pattern extending an offer for a summer internship. On that day, I never would have guessed the amount of knowledge I would gain over the course of the summer. From creating presentations and marketing collateral to designing magazine spreads, the amount of experience I have gained through Pattern greatly surpasses any other day spent in a classroom.

During my time with Pattern, I spent the bulk of it working one-on-one with Pattern’s in-house designer, Aubrey Smith, who taught me all about the publication process and gave me tips to work efficiently and precisely. At first, I was nervous to be working with someone who is more experienced, but we quickly developed a great relationship as she showed me how properly use programs like InDesign as well as execute different design techniques.

One of my most memorable experiences was during a meetup when Pattern brought in Cey Adams, a hip-hop graphic artist from New York City. Listening to him speak about all the work he has done in the music industry was such an inspiration. It made me realize that there is more to graphic design besides working in a corporate setting. Adams is able to successfully combine hands-on creative processes with graphic design; I aspire to find that same balance between fine art and design as I further my education at Ball State. The coolest part was actually the next day when everyone was at the workshop. It was just like any other day until Cey Adams walked in the door to check out the workshop. While he was visiting, I was able to introduce myself and talk one-on-one with the graphic design celebrity– an experience I never would have gained if it was not for Pattern.

The internship is almost over, but I have formed many new relationships with my fellow interns and volunteers that will last a lifetime. With my last year of school starting in a couple weeks, I am more confident with my skillset. I also have a bunch of new material to add to my portfolio. Being able to intern for Pattern will hopefully help open doors for me in the future since I want to eventually move downtown Indianapolis. Pattern truly has been an amazing experience that I will never forget.

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