Brianna Buck was an intern at SEMGeeks and worked with the Web Design Team. She is going into her senior year at Rider University. See her thoughts on her SEMGeeks experience below!
When I first began college, up until my second semester of junior year, I was an Elementary Education and English Literature double major. One of my minors was being taken away after my freshman year, so picking a new minor was a must. I searched and searched until I came across Web Design. All Rider had on the program was what classes you would take and no description as to what web design actually was, but the classes looked interesting, so I decided to pick it up. It wasn’t until my junior year that I actually touched the minor. After countless issues with education and not being able to continue with the program, I felt lost only having an English Literature major, but I remembered that my minor had just been sitting there untouched and decided to move forward with it. I began taking classes for it and fell in love instantly. Interning for Semgeeks has only made my love for web design grow stronger.
After being placed as an intern for the design team at Semgeeks, I didn’t know what to expect. As someone who loves moving around and being around people, I was worried at first that this would be a typical office setting. I quickly learned, however, that this office has plenty of open space–there’s music playing, and there’s just an instant comfortable vibe as soon as you walk in.
I was also nervous because even as a graduating senior, web design is still so new to me. I was scared I wouldn’t know enough prior to interning here. Thankfully, I didn’t need to know it all. Everyone on the design team helped expand my knowledge of web design. From refreshing my memory on certain terms, to learning new terms I had never even heard of before and working on actual projects, I can confidently say I feel more comfortable with web design. As an intern at Semgeeks, I’m actually given real-life projects for real companies and not just busy work or coffee orders. They include me on important meetings and have even had me join in on courses they take to improve their knowledge and understanding of web design. Not only did I get to work on the design team, but when asked what I love doing as a hobby and responding with photography, I was partnered up with the development team and allowed to go on video and photo shoots.
What’s so great about Semgeeks is that although I am a design intern, I have been able to collaborate with many of the other departments, which has truly shown me what Semgeeks is all about as a business. Teamwork and collaboration are vital to the company, and that shows with each project and opportunity I’ve seen come through this office. I’m not a business savvy person whatsoever, and my web design classes didn’t prepare me for that side of things, but I’ve learned a lot about marketing in my time here. I can walk away with a basic understanding which I lacked prior to this experience.
I am sad to see my internship coming to a close, but I’m so grateful that my experience came from Semgeeks. As someone who never saw themselves interning throughout college, originally only student teaching, I’m thrilled to say that I finally did an internship. Even though my first opportunity to do so wasn’t until the very end of my college career, I would not change it for anything else.
I’ve known plenty of other Rider students who have interned here and spoke so highly of the company, and now I can proudly say I’m among them. I’ve learned so much about web design and even gained knowledge and experience beyond my specific team. They have certainly set the bar high for any future opportunities.
