Makayla Williams
Summer 2025 Intern
I’m a sophomore at Virginia Commonwealth University majoring in Marketing, and this summer, I’ve been interning at Shapes and Colors! This isn’t my first time working with the team, but each experience has brought something new to the table.
My Journey with Shapes & Colors
My journey with Shapes & Colors started in the summer of 2023 when I had the opportunity to intern through Girls For A Change’s Girl Ambassador Program. The program is designed to equip Black girls with the skills and confidence needed for college and the workforce. As part of the program, we were matched with summer internships based on our career interests. At the time, I was really drawn to graphic design and marketing, and that’s how I ended up interning at Shapes & Colors. That experience introduced me to the basics of marketing and branding, and everything that goes into promoting a business. Earlier this year, I reconnected with Jolinda, which led to a second opportunity to intern with her this summer.
What I’ve Been Working On
This summer, I’ve been diving deeper into marketing and communications. I’m working on both client-facing and internal projects by managing day-to-day operations, tracking deadlines, and keeping things organized behind the scenes. I’ve contributed to projects involving designing booklets, brochures, logos, websites, and event materials, handling everything from creating moodboards and content docs to designing graphics, building sitemaps, and proofreading web pages before launch. I’ve also helped create presentations, flyers, storyboards, and content libraries, and I’ve backed up project files to keep everything organized.
One of my favorite things I worked on was building a marketing calendar where I organized social media posts into a spreadsheet, tracked engagement, and pulled insights to suggest ideas for future content. I’ve also been involved in scheduling and listening in on client meetings, requesting event speakers, and attending team check-ins to stay up-to-date on project goals and timelines. Whether I’m editing menus, reviewing design work, or brainstorming content, I’ve had the chance to see how all the moving parts come together, and that behind-the-scenes perspective has helped me understand how much strategy, creativity, and communication goes into delivering high-quality work. This is exactly why I love marketing.
A Typical Day
A typical day starts off with me checking in on my email, Slack, and Basecamp to get a sense of what needs to get done and what’s coming up next. From there, I usually plan out what I need to focus on for the day, whether that’s design-related, content-related, or admin work like organizing files or scheduling. Some days are more creative and hands-on, while others are more focused on reviewing, editing, or planning. I stay in close communication with the team throughout the day, hopping onto meetings when needed and updating tasks as I go. Even when things shift or new priorities pop up, I’ve learned how to stay flexible and keep things moving. Every day looks a little different, but that’s what makes it exciting, and it keeps me learning something new all the time.
What I’ve Learned
Over the course of this internship, I’ve learned that marketing is just as much about strategy and planning as it is about creativity and visuals. Even the smallest tasks, like double-checking a link, proofreading a flyer, or naming a file the right way can make a big difference in how smoothly things run and how polished the final product looks. I’ve learned how important it is to stay organized, communicate clearly, and always pay attention to detail, especially when working on a team where everyone depends on each other to keep things moving. I’ve also gotten more comfortable using tools like Basecamp, Canva, InDesign, Illustrator, and Google Workspace, and I’ve learned how to jump into new projects quickly even when I’m figuring things out as I go. This experience has helped me build more confidence in my skills and made me realize that I don’t have to know everything to be helpful, I just have to stay open to learning.
Insights & Takeaways
Being in this environment has also given me a better understanding of what it actually takes to run a creative business. I’ve seen how important it is to keep clients in the loop, meet deadlines, and stay flexible when things change. I’ve learned that consistency builds trust, and that great client relationships come from clear updates, honest communication, and delivering work that’s thoughtful and well-executed. I also see now how valuable it is to create processes that help things run smoother behind the scenes. Every detail plays a role in the bigger picture, and that’s a lesson I’m definitely taking with me as I continue my education and career in marketing. I’m really thankful for the opportunity to be part of this team and grow through this experience. I’m excited to keep learning, finish college strong, and pursue a future in marketing that I’m passionate about.
