Informed had the pleasure of partnering with Davidson College during the fall of 2020 to work with one of their students as part of their new ‘High Impact Experiential Learning’ class. Grace was a phenomenal intern for our organization, lending her design expertise to finalize the pitch deck for our latest program, Learning Links.
At the completion of her internship, we asked Grace a series of questions to help her and us reflect on her experience - what went well and what we as a hosting organization can improve to better prepare our interns for success. Keep reading to learn more about Grace and her work with Informed!
To learn more about Grace and view other examples of her work, visit her website.
Interview Highlights
1. How would you describe your internship with Informed International?
During my internship with Informed, I focused on working with Learning Links, InformEd's social enterprise. I helped with redesigning the pitch deck and icons for the app, along with designing the new logo. I had weekly Google Meet meetings with Billi and sent lots of emails about designs and ideas. I worked on my own schedule, typically on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, and then would send the work I completed to Billi by Wednesday night. This deadline was for the team to review the work I did before I met with Billi on Fridays to discuss feedback. While virtual work can make people feel disconnected, I felt incredibly welcomed by InformEd International. They made me feel like a was a member of their team, and I am so appreciative, especially during COVID. I was able to work from North Carolina, even though InformEd is based in Seattle, because of the current work from home nature. My internship was unique because of COVID-19, but it was also COVID-19 that made the opportunity possible!
2. Did you accomplish what you wanted to with this internship?
I do feel like I accomplished what I wanted to do with this internship. I loved helping redesign the pitch deck and work on the logo. I knew designing without harsh guidelines or expectations was going to be a different experience than I have had in the past. But, I feel like I have gained a lot of confidence and trust in my design work through this process.
Brainstorming the stylescape for the pitch deck.
3. What was the most beneficial part of the experience for you?
I enjoyed working on my timeline. I had a deadline of Wednesday nights, but Informed was flexible with me when I had other things come up. With the four classes I was taking, holding myself accountable without a timeline was not easy, but I think the experience taught me a lot about how I can best manage my own time.
4. Is there anything you would like to have known before the internship started?
Before my internship started, I would have liked to know more about what Informed does for their clients. I say this because I did not know what to tell people when they asked what Informed did, besides "data-driven consulting in international education." Working exclusively with Learning Links kept my understanding of the company to a small portion of the company when they do more than just Learning Links.
5. How will you apply what you have learned during the internship moving forward?
I feel I have gained invaluable experience with my design aesthetic and time management skills that I will be able to take forward into any career. As someone who wants to end up in a freelancing position, learning how to manage my time and working virtually has helped me gather skills I will be able to take into my future careers. I also learned how to work virtually from the start of a job to the end, which I had never done before. I do not know how long working from home will last, but I feel better prepared for the potential to start a job virtually now.
6. what was your Favorite part of the internship?
I loved what I was doing. I find the early stages of companies or ideas to be the most fun to work with. When working with branding, marketing, and design, I feel like I'm truly an important part of a company. I was appreciative of Informed because they trusted me and my design vision. I also enjoyed working on a project that was trying to create positive change. While I am not a full-time member of Informed, I still enjoyed being a part of helping Learning Links progress, because I get to be a part of the positive change Learning Links will bring to the world.
We are so grateful to Grace for her time and design expertise that helped propel our latest project to the finish line! Be sure to view Grace’s work in our Learning Links pitch deck below!
