This summer, DesignPhiladelphia’s Design Education program was proud to host intern Vincent Runkle through the Bloomberg Arts Internship (BAI) Program in Philadelphia. A rising senior at St. Joseph’s Prep with a passion for the arts, Vincent joined us to gain professional experience and wore many hats along the way. From creating social media content to leading workshops for younger students and visiting architecture firms across the city, Vincent explored design from every angle and got a true taste of what a future career in the field could look like.


Q: Can you walk us through a favorite project you've worked on so far? What was your role and what did you take away from it?
A: "My favorite project, or more of a set of projects that I worked on this summer was the different social media content I made with Carly. I helped with the filming and editing process in these projects and enjoyed looking at how it performed to see what could be done better next time."


Q: What kind of impact do you hope to make through your work in the future?
A: "I hope to make whatever field I got into accessible to people of all ages and levels of work. Similar to Design Philly I believe that opportunity should be available to everyone and would like to help educate people who are interested in the career that I pursue."


Q: What advice would you give to another student thinking about applying for an internship like this?
A: "The advice that I would give to another student thinking about applying to an internship like this is to take the opportunity. An internship like this is a great way to be introduced and gain experience in a professional setting and is still very beneficial whether you are interested in the careers that are involved or not."


Q: Looking back at your first day, what do you think has changed the most about you or how you approach your work?
A: "Looking back to day one at Design Philly, I believe that I have a better approach to my work now than I did then. When given something to work on, I am not scared to ask questions or for feedback and understand that I might not get it right the first time. This is different than when I first started, where I was more unsure about what I was doing and didn't talk as much to the people I am working with. I think that a lot of this has to do with being comfortable in your workplace and with the people around it, as now I feel like they are always available to help."


Q: How has BAI helped you grow in your internship? Describe your Mondays + Fridays when you are with them.
A: "Through BAI, I have learned a lot of useful information about many parts of the city, applying to college and what comes with the process, and the other interns that I have been with for the past seven weeks. On the Monday Professional Development days, the most useful class for me has been Post-Secondary Readiness, where they talk about everything that has to do with the college application process that I have to go through very soon. Along with that, the Friday Cultural Immersion days helped me learn more about the arts throughout the city and what different organizations had to offer."

Vincent’s hard work and go-getter attitude are just a few of the reasons we cannot wait to welcome him back to DesignPhiladelphia as he continues his internship with us through the BAISY (Bloomberg Arts Internship School Year) Program. Congratulations to Vincent on a successful summer internship and what is sure to be a successful upcoming year!