What interns can learn from a Pulitzer Prize-winning student
Erika Espinoza understands the grind of college. She balances school, jobs, internships and a personal life. At 22, she has already achieved a milestone in her career: contributing to a project that won a Pulitzer Prize.
I spoke with Espinoza, who recently finished her first year pursuing a Masters degree through the Emerging Media Design and Development program at Ball State University. Over the past 3 years, she has interned at Gannett’s Phoenix Design Studio, Sports Illustrated, Vox media and Univision.
Tracy Collins, director of the Phoenix Design Studio and Suzy Palma, team leader, know Espinoza well. They’ve watched her grow since she joined the team as an intern. Since then, she kept in touch and came back to work a part-time remote position with the design studio.
A Collaborative Win
In late April, Espinoza received recognition for her role as a digital designer on The Wall: Unknown Stories, Unintended Consequences, a 2017 report led by The Arizona Republic and USA TODAY Network.
The Wall, which won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for explanatory reporting, illustrates the state of the U.S.-Mexico border alongside President Trump’s proposal for a border wall. Through stories, documentary videos, a virtual reality experience, a podcast, an interactive map and more, the complete project includes several storytelling devices across platforms.
While working part time for the Phoenix Design Studio, Erika joined the project team early on. Once they had funding, the project took shape over the course of 9 months. Palma, Espinoza’s supervisor, said having the design studio as a home base for the project helped shape Erika’s opportunity. The two were paired with a Network-wide team of developers, Gannett’s Product team and a range of other journalists, she said.
As a digital designer, Espinoza helped craft the look and feel of the project. She created graphics for the longform piece and social media, along with mobile site design mock-ups and a logo. While charts, maps and numbers gave a layer of visual depth to the story, user interface design gave the project a polished presentation for readers.
The typographic solution of the logo represents the brand of the entire project. Palma mentioned, “Erika and I both worked on developing initial branding concepts — and ultimately and almost unanimously — one of Erika’s concepts was chosen for the final product.”
Palma helped set the art direction and tone of The Wall as a whole, working closely and coordinating with a multidisciplinary team to bring the project to life. Since the two worked together on a Network project in 2016, they knew how to work well as a team.
Much of The Wall was a collaborative effort, as a storytelling team of more than 30 journalists worked coast to coast. While many reported along the border and from The Republic’s newsroom, Espinoza designed elements for the project while finishing school and an internship.
There were certainly challenges. “I had to be very disciplined,” Espinoza said. When working remotely, it can be tough to access equipment, find a working space and make sure to unplug from time to time. But in the end, she said she’d do it again.
Building upon experience
Since Espinoza started her design career in student media, she’s worked on a wide range of products. From print and tablet editorial design to interface design, she seeks new roles and opportunities to grow.
Collins, who she worked under during her internship in 2015, said Espinoza immediately took a regular role during her summer in the features department. “She worked hard to get feedback from a variety of sources and had the courage to ask for one-on-ones to have me pick apart her work in detail to help her learn,” he said. “I’m not a werewolf, yet few people have been that bold.”
The success of her internship led to a permanent part-time job creating digital projects for the design studio and USA TODAY while she finished school.
Espinoza loved the opportunities of digital design and felt she grew the most while working outside the classroom, something more universities are trying to offer. From front-end app design at Ball State’s Digital Publishing Studio to digital ads across platforms at Univision, she continued to solve real problems across new roles in the industry.
5 Ways interns can get started
Finding opportunities like Espinoza’s takes time, hard work and determination. Young creatives often feel inspired, but unsure how to forge their own design path. So, where can they start? I asked Espinoza, Palma and Collins how visual journalists can grow during internships and early career.
1. Let go of your fear and seek new opportunities
Palma: “Don’t be afraid to ask questions and try to shadow as many people as possible in different aspects of the industry. It pays to have a deep understanding of what each role is in the process. Offer to be a part of any projects that interest you, and don’t hesitate to be a part of the smaller day-to- day pieces that may not seem as glamorous.”
2. Learn from the work of others
Collins: “Remember that you learn both what you should do, and what you shouldn’t do, by consuming the work and work habits of those around you, and those you admire. Look at strong professionals and pull the best from them. Look at people who struggle and teach yourself how to articulate what’s not working. It will strengthen your own work.”
3. Find mentors for your career and life
Espinoza: “I was extremely shy. But my professors saw my potential as a freshman and saw that growth in me. [Mentors] know the industry way more than you do, it’s not always what you want to hear. Having mentors in the same field is very important, and having mentors outside can help as well. I don’t think I could have gone through college without them.”
4. Your internship can lead you to new roles
Palma: “Starting as an intern is always a great place to start. Find a newsroom or Studio who has a strong and nurturing internship program. It allows you to develop the right relationships, have an understanding of how things work and can help lead to a permanent position. Once you’ve gained that insight, it will leave you better prepared to take on a remote position.”
5. Foster relationships, even after you leave
Collins: “Even if your mentor or boss from your internship doesn’t hire you, you don’t want them to forget you. I’ve helped others recruit my former interns. I’ve recommended them for positions. But those recommendations stop when time passes and I don’t know what’s going on with someone and can no longer confidently speak to their abilities. I reach back to former connections in my career for advice. Even if that’s the only reason to stay in touch, it’s a very good reason.”
