Report from the Frontlines

Wondering how our Student Competition winners are doing in their summer internships? Well, first-honorable-mention winner Jason Sfetko took a break from his busy days at Martha Stewart Living to give you a little glimpse into his summer so far:

Hello. I recently received a SPD student award for my piece on Amy Winehouse. I was extremely excited to win because that meant I’d receive a summer internship at Martha Stewart Living and be one step closer to living my dream as a publication designer.

I started at Martha Stewart Living on June 9th and that very day began designing layouts that would appear in October and November issues. I was ready to hit the ground running when I got there but feared that I’d just be filing papers. I appreciate the hands-on experience because you really can’t
get a true feel for what it’s like to work at a magazine unless you’re living it.

My typical day at Martha starts at 9:30 a.m. and goes until 6:30 p.m. I get an hour lunch, wherein I usually check out Bryant Park or hit up Cosi for a sandwich—both of which are conveniently a 30-second walk from the office. In addition to designing, I’ve gone on a few photo shoots—everything from shooting food in the studio to shooting on location in Central Park—and have met some really cool and highly talented people. It’s nice to be able to meet these people who are really inspired and motivated by design and just watch them collaborate and make a blank page come alive. It really pushes you to be a better designer and think more creatively.

Other than the internship, I’ve stayed busy with all the things this city has to offer including concerts, museums and checking out some great artwork right on the streets. I’m also planning on hitting up a Yankee game this summer to see the Stadium one last time before its gone.

Thanks to Jason for the insight! Wish you could be doing that? Then enter our Student Design Competition this year. We’ll be posting more details in mid-to-late August.