Matthew De Souza’s ePortfolio

The first few weeks have been slow but productive. Within a team of 3, our first assignment was to redesign and remodel the educational institution’s cover report. We were given the company’s guidelines and rulebook and were made to study them. Only certain colors and fonts were allowed, and all pictures had to be related to the company or the people associated with it. Upon redesigning and distributing my first cover reports, I was met with feedback that was very concerning. The photos were blurry upon closer inspection. This was something that caught me off-guard because I had gotten the photos from google images and even edited some of them to have higher sharpness and definition. However, this wasn’t enough, as my supervisor can still spot sections in the picture that weren’t clear or readable. My work was acceptable and the supervisor even said that she loved them, but the pictures were the only thing that was holding it back from submission.

After doing some research, I found an online high definition picture tool that can help my situation. By inserting my photos, I could change the picture’s quality to 4K high definition, which made them readable and removed all blurry effects attached to them. After some changes to color contrast and font choices, I submitted my cover reports. A day later, I was met with a happy reaction from my supervisor. She was very excited that I overcame these issues with the photos and was satisfied with the final product. Once giving it some thought, I decided to make extra cover reports just to give my supervisor more options to choose from. She appreciated the extra effort and gladly accepted them. Here are the cover reports:

Covers made by: Matthew De Souza

Prior to the start of summer, I was eager to jumpstart my internship journey by securing a position for the upcoming Fall semester. I had been diligently monitoring the COMD Internship Openlab, searching for a job that aligned with my criteria and skill set. On June 22, 2023, one of my professors informed me of an opening at Brooklyn College that offered everything I was looking for in an internship and more. Additionally, having connections with two former students who had worked for the college provided me with valuable insight into what to expect and the college’s excellent reputation with CityTech.

After preparing my resume, cover letter, and portfolio, I submitted my application and waited for a response. Within two days, I was invited for an interview with my future supervisor. Wearing all formal attire and a appropiate background setting with amazing lighting, I patiently waited for the meeting to start. Despite initial nerves, my supervisor’s warm welcome quickly put me at ease as the conversation between us started to flow. During the hour-long interview, we discussed my goals, the position’s expectations, my portfolio, skill set, future in the industry, and hobbies. We also reviewed the brand guidelines in the creative brief, which outlined the do’s and don’ts of the internship, including the use of colors, fonts, and images. My supervisor emphasized the importance of studying these guidelines and applying them to all of my work. This was a great learning opportunity as in the possible the future. If I were to work at any company, I would need to abide by their rules, regulations and brand guidelines.

Overall, it was a positive experience, and I was thrilled to be offered the position on the spot, which I graciously accepted immediately. To get an early start, my supervisor arranged for me to work two weeks before the Fall semester began and start my journey at this educational institution.

https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn_College