My very first entry for my internship class! Now I can explain how everything began and where I am now, lucky you, getting to come along on this journey with me.

The way I landed this internship was a little bit different from most of my colleagues, I’m sure. I had just finished the Design Team class with my partner Carla. We had done this really adorable calendar design for the UNICEF client, whom really enjoyed our work and was really interested in continuing with the design even after the class had concluded. After a long and rather unproductive debate with my partner on whether or not we should actually continue with the project, we came up with the idea of making this fill the requirements for our internship class. Unsure whether or not this was actually acceptable, I approached Professor Mason about the idea. He was very informative about what our options are and even explained to me how the class would more or less work. The issue my partner and I continued to grapple with is the fact that the UNICEF client is located in Ukraine. Argo, how can we possibly log in the required hours for a client that we will never actually meet? After another long discussion with my partner, and another trip to see Professor Mason, we ultimately decided to not continue with our calendar project.

This settled one issue but ultimately left me back to square one; how was I going to get an internship and where should I even begin looking? I have been struggling for years to find a job, an internship would be no different, I assumed. Unfortunately, I continuously run into the same issue; many employers won’t hire a prospective employee whom is as, let’s say outwardly expressive, as I am. While looking as awesome as I do, it does make it quite a bit harder to find employment options around unless you are looking to work for a crumby place like Hot Topic. Let’s just say that’s not an option for me.

Later that same day, I decided to head back to the advisor’s office, I suppose it was to seek advice on what my next possible options were from my module professor. Being as I am in the animation/illustration module, I went to see Professor Accardo, whom is the advisor for that module. I told him my partner and mine’s idea about interning for UNCIEF Ukraine and how I’m now back to square one with finding an internship. He seemed surprised that I hadn’t found one yet; with my skill set, it should be fairly easy to find an internship in my career field. He asked me what exactly I wanted to do; I told him of my desire to be a 3D modeler or character concept artist for video games. We discussed what interested me most when it comes to illustration and 3D modeling and he even gave me some of his experiences when he was in my shoes trying to find a job/internship.

The moment of truth is when I began to tell him of how difficult it has been for me to find a job because of my appearance. My drama story began.

Wah wah wah.

Professor Accardo told me that he used to take interns at his own art studio in the past and offered me the option to intern at his studio. I sat there, stunned for a moment, obviously not expecting this type of reaction and then it wore off and I got super excited. I began to bounce in my chair as the professor explained some minor duties I would fulfill at his studio. At the time, I couldn’t hear him as I was busy freaking out but I, more or less, remember the small things I will now have to do. I was so ecstatic, I asked to hug him.

Totally my face when the professor offered me the internship.

And here we are now, I am currently awaiting for a time where our schedules are alined perfectly so I can go down to his studio while he is there. He is teaching the Senior Project class, which I am taking with him, as well as other classes so his schedule is full most of the days I am off from school. We are looking at Wednesday’s and Friday’s as possible days during the week for me to stop by his studio, as well as the weekends. I will make a new update once I have gone to his studio for the first time! Hopefully, I won’t hug everyone there out of excitement; let’s not freak out any co-workers with goth hugs! No promises on that last one though.

Hugs!

Some background information on my internship employer:

Accardo Studios, established in 1978, is small with two locations; one here in Brooklyn and the other in Philadelphia. It’s a privately owned company where they focus mostly on illustration and design work. The majority of clients seen are there for children’s book publishing and, of course, for fine art pieces. My current role here is assistant to Professor Accardo, of whom is the main artist and designer of the studio.