Tag Archives: East Asian Languages and Cultures

Jordan Hussey ’20: Friends of Design Academy of Digital Arts

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Name: Jordan Hussey
Class Year: 2020
Major: East Asian Languages and Cultures
Hometown: Lewisburg, Pa.

Internship Organization: Friends of Design Academy of Digital Arts
Job Title: Games Technology Assistant
Location: Cape Town, South Africa

What’s happening at your internship?

At the Academy, my main job is to help promote and market the student-made games, which can range from week-long projects to year-long projects developed in collaborations with some of the full-time instructors as well. For example, when I first started, the students in the Game Design and Development Course were just finishing up their collaborative projects where they had to complete a working game within one week’s time. Later on, I designed a webpage for them and created promotional content such as a gameplay trailer and screenshots. This page was shared all over the school’s social media platforms and received hundreds of views.
Right now I am assigned to work on a much larger project as the school is trying to start their own game development department where they will make games full-time with the assistance of students in the advanced courses. Since they have never had a marketing position for games, they are taking the opportunity to have me maintain a development blog to track their progress and spark interest in their work.

Why did you apply for this internship?

I applied to this internship because it was something that I had never envisioned myself doing, and I thought it might be the only opportunity in my life to experience South Africa. Also, the idea of working instead of studying abroad for two months appealed to me because you were able to have a look at what work culture was like and be completely immersed in it.

Living in a new city? What has that experience been like for you?

The city is more way more beautiful than I imagined, having lived in a place with no real mountains the majority of my life. The plants and animals here are incredibly diverse and completely different from back home. Although the weather is usually very warm, summertime here is actually wintertime, which means the average temperature ranges from 60 degrees to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. One thing that took me a very long time to get used to was keeping an eye out for danger and staying safe, as crimes, such as pickpocketing, are quite common so you always have to look out for your belongings and travel in groups. Usually the safest and most convenient way to get around is to use Uber, which is relatively inexpensive here in comparison to the U.S.

What is most rewarding about your internship?

The most rewarding thing about my internship is learning about an industry I was always interested in but never thought about pursuing a career in. Everyday I do hours of research about the video game industry, the game production cycle, and the resources necessary to make it all happen, which has given me a greater appreciation of the work those in my company are doing. Also, I have enjoyed seeing the students working on their own game projects as that was the first time I saw game development in action. Seeing them made me more motivated to do well in creating a webpage to show off their hard work on their projects, which can be played and downloaded by anyone now. Check out the link here if you’re interested.

Stephanie David ’20: Philadelphia Museum of Art

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Name: Stephanie David
Class Year: 2020
Major: East Asian Languages and Cultures
Hometown: Spring, Texas

Internship Organization: Philadelphia Museum of Art
Job Title: Human Resources Summer Intern
Location: Philadelphia

What’s happening at your internship?

Recently, our department spearheaded event planning for a luncheon honoring employees who have been at the PMA from five to 45 years. It was chaotic getting everything ready on time, but we were happy to see the employees smiling as they got recognized. Day to day, I have been helping compile and check data for recruiting and employee benefits. I will continue to help with collecting data and assisting the department with tasks related to that — there is plenty to do! Aside from that, the interns are also being exposed to virtually every department in the museum, including curatorial, retail, construction, and protection services. This is information that my department can take to aid in making our bird’s eye view on the organization more reflective of the needs of the employees, which is great.

Why did you apply for this internship?

I applied to this internship because I value work that is rooted in the humanistic side of the working world. It’s important to me that whatever I do in the future involves engaging with people and growing empathy and understanding. These are aspects of career that regional studies have inspired me to focus on, and with Bryn Mawr students’ mission being similar, this has been a natural fit. Also, a nonprofit arts environment that is also a fairly large organization creates an interesting balance. It involves creative minds but also a need for objective function. The PMA is all about evolving thoughtfully. It is my favorite local museum even as a visitor, so I was curious about its cogs and how everything fits together. It’s so much more than pictures just hanging on the walls and it’s incredible to be able to see just how complex the organization is.

What has been your favorite part of this internship?

My favorite part of this internship has been talking to both my peers and my mentors. I appreciate hearing about so many different paths and stories. This internship is really thorough, and I have interacted with employees from many parts of the institution. Being able to converse with driven supervisors, museum staff, and fellow interns has been a moving experience. There is so much to think about and so much I want to hear from the people around me. Sitting in on meetings, chatting with others, or doing my work day to day have hardly been boring. Everyone being so receptive and brilliant in their interactions has been super awesome and helpful.

What is something you have learned from your internship that you didn’t expect?

I think most of all a big takeaway was a different type of time management for me. I was focusing my expectations on tasks and skillset building. I feel like I only fully understood what the difference is once I was under organizational expectations. It’s different commuting along with the daily flow down the city street, making sure I am still mindful of how every second counts — but virtually as an employee, not just a student. The expectations change how I spend my time and what I spend my time doing. It’s hard to explain, but there is a sense to this experience that can only be learned from doing, and it has served as an important reminder of the future and of what will be asked of me when I formally enter the working world.