Illustration seniors land NASA and Disney internships

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design seniors Grace Weisner ’26 and Allison Stras ’26 have landed the internship of their dreams: Weisner at NASA and Stras at Disney. Both are Illustration majors with minors in Communication Design.

“I’ve always been fascinated by space and often create fantastical or educational work inspired by it,” Weisner says. “I love space-related books and films and keeping up with NASA missions like the Artemis II launch!”

Weisner has an Illustration & Communications Internship at the NASA Glenn Research Center in Ohio. “This internship feels like a dream opportunity,” she says. “These are very exciting times in the space industry, and I’m so thrilled to be a part of it.”

Stras will be a Disney Consumer Products Graphic Design Intern. “I have been interested in Disney for as long as I can remember and knew from a young age that Disney was the company I wanted to work for,” says Stras. “I’ve always been really inspired by Disney’s whimsy in their movies and parks and interested in Disney history.”

“I’m excited to learn from more experienced designers and improve my skills as a designer. Also, the opportunity to meet other designers who love Disney and make new friends is so exciting!”

Both seniors offered career advice for current and future MIAD students.

Weisner, who created the Wilder mascot for Penfield Children’s Center in collaboration with the MIAD Lubar Innovation Center and interned at Discovery World and Charlesbridge Publishing, says, “Future MIAD students looking to gain professional experiences should actively seek out opportunities they’re passionate about.”

“Check platforms like Handshake and LinkedIn but also follow organizations directly since not all roles are widely posted. Apply early and let your genuine excitement shine through in your applications and interviews!”

Stras suggests MIAD students “work hard on their projects and try to always create something they are proud of that they would be excited to share or put in their portfolio. I focused many of my illustration projects on a more design-oriented approach so I could use them in my graphic design portfolio.”

The 2026 Senior Exhibition projects of Weisner and Stras are on view from April 17 – May 9, 2026, on MIAD’s campus. Weisner created Arctic Advent, a children’s 24-day Christmas pop-up advent calendar that “aims to promote education about arctic wildlife in a fun and festive way.”

Following her own advice, Stras created Seasons in Bloom! A collection of plates, bowls, cups and napkins for each season, in part, because “I want to create a cohesive collection of designs for my portfolio.”

Learn more about MIAD’s Illustration major and MIAD minors.