Tufts Blogs

Let's talk jobs! Let's talk internships! Let's talk about our Career Center and the opportunities we offer at SMFA at Tufts!

The future is on all of our minds and especially for the students (and their parents) who are choosing to earn their degree in the arts. You probably have heard the question, 'What professional opportunities are there for graduates with a BFA?' or even worse, the phrase 'Starving Artist.' These statements prompt students to ask, 'What professional development opportunities do you offer to prepare for life after graduation?' I encourage you to ask these questions to your admissions counselor! 

At SMFA at Tufts, we are always thinking about our students’ development as artists and as professionals. Through Ryan Smith, our Assistant Director of Career Services and Career Advisor for the Arts, students can find endless resources for professional development. He can help you explore careers across the arts and creative disciplines, find internships, and learn important skills such as building a resume, interviewing skills, and how to develop a professional portfolio. 

However, don’t just take it from me. Hear from Yuchun (Lynette) Bian, a current student from Shanghai in her fifth and final year of our Combined Degree program. This past summer she had the opportunity to take part in an internship in Palo Alto.

Can you tell us a little bit about your internship? What were your roles, duties and/or responsibilities as an intern?

During Summer 2017 I worked on a team dedicated to the Design System at a big software company. I worked on two projects for my internship. For the first part of the summer, I was in charge of all stages of an independent project, including user research, ideation, design, and user-testing. Towards the end of this first part, I presented to the User Experience Design team at VMware as well as my own team.

The second project was about designing a specific User Interface component for our team. I went through a rigorous process of conducting research online, going through design critiques and doing the documentation work to present my findings. It was an immensely rewarding process because I got a taste of what a “real project” of the team would be like.

Aside from these two projects, I participated in regular design critiques and workshops. I also went on a team off-site in Seattle and has an intensive week with my team, which was probably the highlight of my summer.

Photo 1: Lynette Bian ‘18 presenting her summer intern project at the end of her internship.

Wow! That sounds like a lot of cool work! What was something unique about this experience?

I had the opportunity to experience the culture at Silicon Valley and working with a completely remote team. My team is small and adopts an agile management style, so things tend to move very fast. It was eye-opening to see a team of people based all over the US work so well together. 

What was your favorite thing about your internship?

I worked with a team of very intelligent and laid-back designers and software engineers. My teammates and colleagues were the best part of the experience. Apart from the people, being able to ship product and see my designs come “alive” was extremely rewarding. 

What aspect of your internship surprised you the most?

I have been somewhat of a design nerd ever since I found my passion for interaction design, so it felt extremely satisfying to do design for a job. I was surprised how pleasant work could be when you are doing something you enjoy and when you are surrounded by the right people. 

Sounds like you experienced a lot of new situations and learned a lot from this opportunity. Reflecting on your overall experience how has this internship aided you in your professional development?

This internship, in particular, has helped me set my career goals by giving me a taste of what working in a specific industry feels like. Sometimes doing an internship feels like trying out a trial period before you commit to a long-term subscription. I am very glad that I had this experience and found the right fit as a new-grad interaction designer.  

 Photo 2: Lynette went on an offsite with her teammates in Seattle.

Thank you Lynette!

Although this is just one student’s experience, there are many other opportunities available at SMFA at Tufts. Our Career Center is easy to access by booking appointments on both the SMFA and Medford Campuses on-line, through email, or by the phone. We even have Drop-in Hours throughout the week!

Check out our websites!  Career Center @ SMFA & Medford

I hope this helps to demystify professional development in our program and answer some of those pressing questions about whether or not art school is right for you. There is a lot to be done and a lot to explore with a BFA from SMFA at Tufts!