Design Internship Journal: Week 1

As a graphic designer at Melissa Harans Studio for the past 9 months, I have loved every moment of my time there. This week, I officially started my internship and it was one of the busiest yet most interesting weeks I've had so far. I realized just how much back-and-forth communication is needed for a successful remote job. To make sure everything runs smoothly, we use Monday for project organization, Dropbox for file delivery, Everhour for time tracking, and Slack for communication. It took some time to get used to, but I feel confident in the processes and standard practices now. Melissa's organizational skills have been a great inspiration and have shown me what it takes to run a successful design agency.

During the week, we had a team call where I got to meet everyone on the team. With a team of 15-20 people, including interns, designers, project managers, and content proofers, everyone was supportive and positive, which made for a great atmosphere. Melissa hires based on energy and attitude, and this has truly made a positive impact on the team dynamic.

One of the highlights of the week was designing a lot of email campaigns, infographics, and social media graphics. While I normally work with The Sculpt Society, this week I had the opportunity to work with a few new clients that the studio had just signed. It was fun designing different branding systems and aesthetics for each of them.

Something noteworthy that happened this week was when Melissa had to fire a client that I had worked extensively for. The client had been difficult to contact and had violated their contract, so Melissa handled the situation in a professional and appropriate manner. It was great to see how difficult client situations can be handled with professionalism and grace.

Overall, this week has been a great learning experience for me, and I look forward to continuing to grow as a designer at Melissa Harans Studio.

Packaging design done in collaboration with Melissa Harans Studio