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Working alongside visual thinkers and designers who present a company’s philosophy, products, and services to the world is an effective way to explore a profession. Rashada Norman ’03, a commuter student from Bethlehem, did just that this past summer as an intern at New Vision Communications, a full service communications agency in Allentown.
“I wanted more experience in the computer field,” says Norman, a computer science major. Earning academic credit from the English department, Norman worked at New Vision Communications three days a week, kept a journal, and wrote a paper about her experience.
“My internship focused on teaching me software programs that they used, such as Dreamweaver, Director, and Flash,” says Norman. “I helped with a variety of tasks and learned a bit about the more creative end of computers. I liked the diversity in the company that I worked for.”
Because of her internship, Norman has decided that she wants to be a webmaster/graphic designer.
Norman’s internship supervisor was Chris Allen, president of New Vision Communications. “Rashada was eager to learn and at times went well beyond what we assigned her to do,” says Allen. “Going into the internship we challenged Rashada to make the most of it and she did. She did everything from computer programming to modeling to marketing. She was a delight to have around and she mixed well with other members of the team.”
“We had her working on an interactive web-based presentation,” continues Allen. “She did basic authoring and because she had an artistic flair, we had her try to create a flash animation site.”
In addition to computer modeling, Norman joined in on some real modeling work. “We were in the throes of a large marketing campaign and needed models,” says Allen. “The call time was 4 a.m. and Rashada willingly participated.”
Allen thinks that internships are valuable investments of a student’s time. “If you give the kids meaningful work, challenge them and tell them ‘Here is what we do, here is how we do it, and here is how you can fit in,’ they’ll take that knowledge and leave with it,” says Allen. “Of course they get as much out of it as they put into it.”
Norman is planning a career in web site design.
“My education at Lafayette has given me the technical background I will need to pursue this goal, a goal I would not have thought of without the experience.”
She is working next semester in Lafayette’s Computing Services department and Public Information Office web design team. To add to her experiences, the student will work as an EXCEL Scholar this summer with Larry Stockton, professor of music and department head, on a project to computerize his department’s music library. In the fall, she will complete a computer science senior project, in which students work in teams on the analysis, design, and implementation of a large-scale software project.
“In this department, I’ve come across a lot of people who have encouraged me,” Norman says. “This has been vitally important to continuing with my major. The support of surrounding people always helps, and makes every endeavor worthwhile.”
Norman adds that she is grateful for the education she is receiving and notes that she has enjoyed a positive experience at Lafayette.
“Lafayette is a very competitive school which motivates me to do my best to excel,” she says.
A tutor with America Reads, America Counts, Norman is active in College Theater and was part of the cast of Working and A Tempest. Off-campus, she was recently seen in The Sneeze. She directed A Need for Brussels Sprouts, a one-act play, for a Lafayette class, and says she enjoys writing skits and short pieces. She also works at Kirby Sports Center.
Rashada Norman ’03 helped computerize the holdings of Lafayette’s music library in an EXCEL Scholars project with Larry Stockton, professor and head of music.