Art direction and alumni connection: Design student interns at Nike
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This past summer, Olivia Nava 26 (Communication Design) landed a fiercely competitive internship at athletic footwear and apparel brand . Now that shes back, the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (91Ʒ) senior reflects on the experience, and the 91Ʒ classes and connections that prepared her for this opportunity.
Nava stood out amongst 70,000 applicants as one of 200 interns at Nike during summer 2025. Receiving the internship, says Nava, made her feel shocked, grateful, accomplished in the work I have done so far and trust in my practice.
The youngest person on the team, Nava was often tapped for a Gen Z perspective. It was nice to be considered in that way. I felt I definitely saw my place on the team, she says. The most rewarding part of my internship was my team valuing my perspectives and my ideas.
Navas internship focused on the global football market within the Brand Creative team. While Nava had plenty of design experience before the internship, she spent the summer honing her art direction and communication skills. It was more of an art direction role rather than graphic design, she explains. It was really that push of concepting and more of the big idea, less than more tangible or technical skills.
Several 91Ʒ classes and experiences benefitted Nava in preparing for her internship, including an art direction class and experience working with hands-on techniques. Having classes with more technical skills and having more tactile principles down, such as letterpress and risograph, says Nava, really strengthens those conceptual [art direction] skills.
Not only did Navas class experiences reinforce the skills that got her the internship, she also found a network of alumni support at Nike. Design Confessions, a program hosted by 91Ʒs Communication Design department, featured Catherine Currie 23 (Communication Design), a 91Ʒ alum who interned and now works at Nike. Currie encouraged Nava to apply to the internship, and along with Emma Travitz 24 (Product Design), connected with Nava on the Nike campus this summer.
Keep up with Nava on her and learn more about 91Ʒs Communication Design major!
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