Mentorship, Networking, and Role Models
I’ve been working at Brooklyn College for three months now. One of the perks of this internship is its remote nature. I work at home on my own equipment and not waste time on commuting, however, its biggest perk is also its greatest setback. Being at home does not allow me to make connections with other faculty and staff in a way that being in person would. It hinders the ability to make deeper connections and form bonds that would lead to strong networking opportunities. As I have mentioned in a previous post, I believe that the ability to get quick feedback on projects from people with stakes in the project could cut down a tremendous amount of time spent on a design for a new designer. I also believe that being in a position to offer your services to people who are not your direct supervisor is also a crucial part of networking. As more people come in contact with your work and potentially like it someone may have outside work for you or know someone looking for an intern or a part time worker which leads to more work. The remote nature of this internship is a hinderance in that fact.
While my internship supervisor is not a designer, I do value that she knows how to convey what she and the department are looking for in their designs. She’s good at getting us to revisit and rethink about things without frankly saying “Do this here”. This ability is a skill that will most certainly be valuable to anyone working with internal and external clients and is something that I’ve picked up on through our correspondence and in meetings. She is an excellent example of how to work within a large structure across several departments. She may not be a design role model but she is definitely a role model when it comes to professionalism.
