NBCUniversal Internship Spotlight: Meet Naja Bomani

Naja Bomani is a senior graphic design major who interned in the advertising standards department of NBCUniversal this past summer. She talked to The Box about her internship, future career path, and advice for students.

The Box: What led you to get an internship in summer 2015?

The realization that my senior year was quickly approaching. By mid-semester of my junior year, I began researching and applying for internship opportunities that would benefit and assist me in learning what it takes to pursue graphic design as a career.

The Box: What were the main responsibilities of your internship?

Researching and presenting on "hot topics" within the advertising industry every week at staff meetings, using my design skills to make department information (calendars, charts, and infographics) more pleasing to the eye, and reviewing daily commercial spots for visual content. I also worked on a few larger projects, such as building a database, creating a department newsletter, designing a presentation for a fall 2016 high school visit, and a final project on my topic of choice.

The Box: What did you love about working at NBC Universal?

The people and the atmosphere. My supervisor and editors were all willing to help me when needed and gave good advice when least expected. Did I mention that I got to see some of the television studios, such as The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon? It was so cool!

The Box: How has your internship prepared you for the world of work?

It enabled me to use my graphic design background for every project, get feedback, ask questions, and learn different aspects of NBCUniversal's business. Graphic design and advertising are areas that overlap. I gained a better understanding of how design relates to the technicalities of advertising and marketing.

The Box: What did you learn about your field and about yourself from this internship?

Graphic designers are in high demand and needed in different company areas and departments. Knowing this makes me feel confident about my career path because I was told otherwise when I was younger and first showed interest in graphic design. I also learned that I'm dedicated to my work but need to find balance between work and my personal life.

The Box: How do you envision your career?

At this point in my life, I don't have a dream job in mind. I want to be open-minded and see where different job experiences take me within the graphic design field. However, my long-term goal is to own a design business. I currently freelance for some clients and hope to make enough relationships to start a company in the future.

The Box: What's your advice for current students seeking internships?

Start interning as soon as possible. I was nervous to intern at first but realized the benefits. The earlier you start, the more experiences you'll gain.

For more information about internships, visit the Office of Career Service's Internship Certificate Program webpage and search for positions using NYIT's CareerNet database.