World's Greatest Internship

You should select me because

I am the BEST candidate for WGI, because I have that fire inside of me that all great interns have. I'm ready to learn. I'm ready to make. I'm ready to get out there in the real world!I may not have a ton of real world experience, but I have some. I've worked with clients, and I know about all the ups and downs that come with this. I've worked on teams, I know how to communicate and collaborate with others. I'm good with people, and I think this is an important skillset when you are traveling the world and entering new spaces/cultures.

1. Why are you interested in wgi?

I'm interested in the World's Greatest Internship for plenty of reasons, but here is just four reasons. 1. I'm about to graduate college, and I feel like the world is my oyster right now. I’m not tied down to anything, now is the time to experiment! I feel so open and ready for opportunity and experience. 2. At this current moment, I feel a little bit unsure about what direction I want to go in. I like so many aspects of the creative field, it’s hard to make a decision on what it is that I want to do. This internship interests me because you are given the opportunity to see many different roles in the creative sphere. 3. Worldwide travel is something that I have yet to experience, and it's something I've fantasized about my entire life. I'm a small town girl, originally from Idaho. This internship would give me the opportunity to see the world and expose me to art and culture on a scale that would otherwise be out of reach for me financially. 4. This internship could be the world's greatest catapult into my career! The experience gained from this internship is unlike any internship I’ve ever heard of.

2. What are you looking to gain from an experience such as WGI?

I think that the biggest experience to be gained from WGI is the opportunity to absorb the ways that people design across cultures. At school, and in Portland, I've become accustomed to the design culture here. I would love to see, up close and personal how other cities and people go about their work. I think that this exposure to different styles, processes, conceptual thinking would be an amazing learning experience.

3. What would be your goals after completing WGI if you were selected?

My goals are vague right now, but this doesn’t mean that I’m not driven. If I were selected, I would like to continue on my path of discovering my own design practice. I want to stay experimenting, and pushing the limits of typography and image, and I would like to work at a place that also values this. I see myself potentially staying in Portland for the time being. I feel loyal to the design scene here, and I want to continue to make cool things happen in the community. Myself and my peers are trying to cultivate a typography community in Portland. I would like to see this come to fruition. However, I don’t see myself staying here forever. I hope to someday be a art director/creator in Los Angeles, New York, or overseas.

4. How did you hear about wgi?

Instagram can be a beautiful thing. I follow @thebrandidentity and they posted about the program there.

5. Share an example of a time you were most motivated and a time you were most demotivated.

Honesty is always the best policy. So answering honestly: I would say that at this current moment I am both the most motivated and demotivated I have ever been. I'm about to graduate. I'm reflecting on the work that I've done over the past few years, I'm creating my “brand” as a designer and creator. It's exhausting, and there is a lot of self-doubt involved in this process. On the other hand, I am so motivated to work, there is a driving force pushing me through the anxiety and self-doubt. I'm working all the time, constantly on the go, I am getting myself ready for the real world. In short: I'm motivated by my drive for success, but demotivated by fear and comparing myself to others.

6. In your opinion, what creates a great culture at a company?

To me, great culture typically involves rethinking and experimenting with the way that "work" should be. Things don't have to be a certain way because they've always been that way. Companies that redesign the “user experience” of work, have my respect. I appreciate company cultures that allow for autonomy and blurred hierarchies. I think that this allows all voices to be heard, bringing great ideas to the forefront. I appreciate places that allow different working styles, the 9-5 is not for everyone. Giving people flexibility allows them to make their best work. Essentially, I think that great company culture involves employers treating their employees as individuals rather than a generalized group.

7. What brands and companies do you admire and why?

I admire brands and companies who care about transparency. Dismantling the gap between company practices and the consumer is important. I think that too often, companies purposefully don’t share product information with their consumer. Allowing them to get away with what they shouldn’t. I admire brands like Everlane, they stand out from other clothing brands because of their ethical practices and their transparency regarding the production and cost of their products. As a consumer, I know exactly where a garment was made, how much it cost to make it, and what it’s made of. This kind of transparency is radical for consumers who don’t have knowledge about the fashion industry and the true cost of garments. Brands like Everlane are a step towards leveling the playing field between company and consumer.

8. What do you do to stay sharp and improve your craft?

You never want to be the smartest person in the room. I think it's important to surround yourself with people that you admire and respect as designers and as people. I stay sharp by surrounding myself with people who inspire me and challenge me to make great work. I've been lucky enough to find a great community of people in my field that I can constantly collaborate with and bounce ideas off of.

9. What’s your favorite quote?

“Leave the door open for the unknown, the door into the dark. That’s where the most important things come from, where you yourself came from, and where you will go.” Rebecca Solnit, A Field Guide to Getting Lost This quote is something I've been thinking about lately, as I face the abyss of uncertainty after college. I think these words ground me in that nothing is ever certain, and that opportunities will come and go. There is beauty in not knowing what is next. I've been trying to leave the door open for whatever comes my way.

10. If you could solve one problem in the world what would it be?

Georgia Hatchett

Lived in Boise, ID for 18 years. Portland, OR for 4 years. BFA in Graphic Design, Portland State University. Honors College Interested in art direction, typography/type design, design theory, layout/publication, branding.

Instagram can be a beautiful thing. I follow @thebrandidentity and they posted about the program there.