Prof. Nicolaou and Classmates,

I would like to say that this internship has taught me many lessons that cannot be obtain elsewhere. On this journey, I encounter people who showed me how to approached a problem or how to handle a situation with multiple perspectives. His name is Brian Jones or as I prefer to call him, Mr. Brian. He is a great team leader. He is clear on what he wants and also knows how to guide people. The way he approaches another person is impeccable, meaning he do is in such a respectful way. He always knows what to say and how to say it. Mr. Brian knows how to ask for things to be done efficiently and it makes you feel comfortable at all times. I have to emphasize how polite he is with everybody, regardless of what that person’s roll in the company is.

I do consider him my roll model and my mentor. With him, I have experience many things through out this time at my internship. He has showed me the business side of what my career will require in the near future. Additionally, he has showed me how to approach a project from multiple angels and how to meet a deadline on time. He taught me how to handle difficult situations with clients, as well. Finally, it has been a pleasure sharing this internship experience with such an impressive character like Mr. Brian.

Thank you for your time,

Marielos. Osorio

Prof. Nicolaou and Classmates,

It is definitely challenging evaluation others, but when it comes to evaluating yourself, I personally find it very conflicting. So far, I have been able to complete the projects I have been assigned. Last week, I was assigned a project that involve content and text editing on InDesign. I was not able to completed it in it’s totality because I ran out of time and the client did not provide me with all the content need it for this project. I felt I could have done more when it came to how the content should of looked like, but at the same time, I did not have all the information I needed, neither the images that were also part of the content. Additionally, I would say I have to improve upon my delivery time. I do complete the assignments, but I feel as if I do not have enough time to fully develop all my ideas. I also want to be as productive as I possibly can when I am in the office working and i belive i have achieve this so far. I am enjoying the challenges and there is always room for improvement everyday.

Thank you for your time,

Marielos. Osorio

Prof. Nicolaou and Classmates,

When it comes to collaborative work within the office, communication between each other becomes imperative. One of our resent projects involved the creation of a backdrop-advertising panel for one of your client’s event. For this project, I had to come up with the multiple layouts and the placement of the logos within the backdrop. These logos had to follow a hierarchy of one through six. I had to work with Paul, who is the Graphic Designer and also with my supervisor Mr. Brian, who is the Creative Director. We first started sending ideas to each other using email. Email communication is convenient, but also creates delays between responses and the project is hold back, but not as much. When we were all at the office, feed back is more time effective and we all tree were able to gather around a computer and all commented on what worked better and what did not work as much. Decision-making was faster and I believed it was more effective. Collaboration definitely helps when it comes to brain–storming and effective decision-making. It was challenging at first to be able to coordinate between people, but in the end the results we got showed the benefits of convening ideas and talents within the office.

Here is one of the layouts we came up with:

Thank you for your time,

Marielos. Osorio

Prof. Nicolaou and Classmates,

The department of Communication Design and Advertising (COMD) has assisted me with guidelines and articles to make my internship experience more effectively. My professor has provided us with useful articles to make us succeed on this internship experience. In addition to the articles, my professor gave us tips on how to look and where to look for internship opportunities. Also, our instructor gave us tips on how to approach specific situations that I personally found very useful.

Here are some of the articles links I referred to above:

• Modern Etiquette: Minding your manners in the workplace

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/16/us-etiquette-workplace-idUSBRE98F06920130916

• Social Business Etiquette 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/lisaquast/2014/04/07/office-etiquette-tips-to-overcome-bad-manners-at-work/

• Office Etiquette: Tips To Overcome Bad Manners At Work

https://bbhosted.cuny.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-2549856-dt-announcement-rid-110064883_1/courses/NYT01_COMD_4900_HD97_1159_1/Etiquette%282%29.pdf

Thank you for your time,

Marielos. Osorio

Prof. Nicolaou and Classmates,

My office learning experiences, so far I have explore some basic skills. There are times I have to do a considerable amount of research before I can even start thinking about the layout of the projects. Also, I have to keep in mind the real world dead lines. The projects need to be done the day they are supposed to and one has to make it happen regardless of other factors.

Furthermore, I have also learned on how to act on business meeting and note taking during these meetings is essential as well. I have learned what questions should be address regarding the projects and it is essential to be clear in what approach to follow next before the project can be completed. A calendar of what stage we are in it because it gives you a time frame of where projects need to be at an specific point in time. I feel that I have learned a lot so far regarding the business side of my career and there is more to learn as well.

Thank you for your time,

Marielos. Osorio

Prof. Nicolaou and Classmates,

When it comes to my business experience related so far in this company, I have learned how to speak to clients over the phone in a professional way. I take notes; I listen carefully to what they need or want to be able to accomplish the task as effectible as possible. Also, I have learned how to used an office phone and how to transfer calls from one phone to another. Additionally, I have learned how to create and write professional email for clients with delicate information regarding projects or gathering information for an in-process project we have.

Thank you for your time,

Marielos. Osorio

Prof. Nicolaou and Classmates,

When it comes to performing clerical duties related to my major, I will say that most of the time I am responsible for developing designs and dead line that are imperative for the company. A typical day for me starts with an email from my supervisor assigning me what needs to be done before the day ends. I usually get two assignments. For these tasks, I use Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign. The assignments include design thinking and layouts that best illustrate what we are looking to achieve. Once I have a layout sketched done on paper, I ask my supervisor for feedback or if it needs any modifications. After he has taken a look at it, I move forward to create a digital copy of the paper layout I have come up with. Once that is done, I go back to my supervisor with the final results. He looks at it and I usually have to make modifications to it. At the end of that each assignment, I email him the files and he takes a finally look before it gets send to the client or service provider for printing purposes or other matters. This process applies for both assignments.

Moreover, I also answer the phone, so clients or new clients can get in touch with my supervisor and/or the president of the company. I am also part of office meetings and project discussions that are not directly link to design, but are related to website designs and development. I am learning the business side of my career and I like what I have experience so far.

[ I cannot share or discuss specific details about any assignments I am assigned and what they are about because I signed a confidentiality contract. ]

Thank you for your time,

Marielos. Osorio

Prof. Nicolaou and Classmates,

The atmosphere within the company is very peaceful and respectful. The culture of the company contains a very casual, but formal theme into it. Overall, the attire of the company is formal. For this reason, I dress in a formal fashion way every time I go to work. The office has a combination of open space and also one cubicle area. The typical workday hours are around eight hours per day. Normally, that includes a lunch time hour for the employees to relax and go out. It a very confortable working space to be at.

Thank you for your time,

Marielos. Osorio

Prof. Nicolaou and Classmates,

My role at Crystal McKenzie, Inc. is as a Junior Designer within the Design Department. I am responsible for contacting clients and I also participate projects that involve designs such as layouts, mockups, and logo development. Additionally, I do research for specific projects within the company. The name of my supervisor is Brian Jones. He is the COO/Creative Director.

About a year ago, I interned at CMI and I had a great learning experience back then, so I decided to give Mr. Brian a call and I asked if he had an intern opening. Because of my previous experience, this time, he did not interview me. But when I first started last year in the summer, I had an over the phone interview with him. He asked me about my experience and also about my design process and the steps that are involved in my execution of specific projects.

Moreover, I made more calls to other internship opportunities around people that I personally know and other design agencies that I particularly have no experience with. One of them will be 3^rd Lounge, Inc. I was told that they did not need interns at that point, so I moved on to other opportunities. I was fortune enough to get a response from CMI the text day and I was able to start my internship very early in the semester. I did have to call multiple times just to remind them about a response because my situation was time sensitive.

Thank you for your time,

Marielos. Osorio

(This is a picture of their home page website)

Prof. Nicolaou and Classmates,

CMI Exhibits Division was established in 1980 as one of the three divisions of Crystal McKenzie, Inc. CMI Exhibits Division manages annual conferences and events, trade show programs and projects, creates museum installations, exhibitions and visitor centers for our clients.

The company’s clients and what CMI offer them:

Our clients come to CMI looking for the following criteria: Strategic Services, Corporate & Brand Identity, Strategy & planning, Corporate image & Marketing, Brand integration, & Social Integration.

Some of CMI clients/customers:

AT&T
JPMorgan Chase
LCOR & others.
The primary business of CMI  offers a complete in-house facilities for all activities required by clients marketing, media and public information service such as:

• – Corporate Communications and Corporate Literature – including corporate promotion and annual reports
• – Editorial Design – including newspapers, newsletters and magazines- Marketing Research/Marketing Communications
• – Environmental Graphic Design – including way-finding systems, building and retail Identities
• – Interior and Exterior Signage Systems – including two- and three- dimensional design of space
• – CAD Mapping and 3D Rendering
• – Strategic Branding / Brand Identity and Package Design
• – Corporate Identity – including visual identifiers, logotype, naming and trademarks
• – Sales Promotion Communications – as an adjunct to advertising
• – Website Development – including information architecture, interactive media, social media development and integration, Web 2.0 and Web.3.0

Additionally, CMI provides the following services to clients who desire  a competitive edge, they provide:

• User interface design
• – Web design
• – Structured brainstorming
• – Graphic Usability
• – Formal user studies
• – Strategic product planning
• – Design of information architecture
• – Hardware and software prototyping
• – Communication design
• – Graphic Design of Brand Identity

The department I am currently working on is the Design Department. What I have learned about this company is that in 2009, they launched our digital event marketing property, INSPIOR. This service creates digital marketing solutions for business and decision makers who want to deliver a key stakeholder experience. INSPIOR assist their clients by implementing online channel to improve marketing campaigns. This company is a private company. Crystal McKenzie, Inc. consists of around ten people working in the office and others working online from other locations.

Location:

Crystal McKenzie, Inc.

220 East 23rd Street, Suite 305

New York, NY 10010

References:

Crystal McKenzie, Inc.

http://www.cminyc.com/company.cgi

INSPIOR

http://www.inspior.com/

Thank you for your time,

Marielos Osorio