MIAD and Hanson Dodge partner for new high school internship program

High school students listen to client presentation by Johnsonville during internship program

As part of the Greater Equity 2030 initiative to increase BIPOC representation in Milwaukee creative industries, MIAD has partnered with advertising agency Hanson Dodge to launch a graphic design internship program for high school students. 

Through the partnership, students from seven Milwaukee high schools attended a four-week program in May at MIAD to learn foundational design skills. In June, the students participated in a two-week paid internship, where they explored careers in different areas of the advertising agency and worked on a project for Johnsonville. In July, the students received a full scholarship to attend the MIAD Pre-College program. MIAD students and alumni will mentor the students throughout the academic year. 

Kyla Chester-Hopkins, graphic design intern and MIAD Pre-College student

“Hanson Dodge is taking us into all aspects of their work and projects, and we see how the teams work in their own areas but also how they all work together. For example, we did a two-hour workshop about how they do their filming and photography for one of their client’s advertising, including green screening, and I had not had the chance to do this before. It’s giving me the information and tools to test graphic design,” said Kyla Chester-Hopkins, a junior at Milwaukee’s Pathways High School who is considering a career in graphic design, and who participated in the MIAD/Hanson Dodge internship program and MIAD Pre-College.

Several of the internship students also participated in the TRUE Skool Designed Awareness program last spring.

Learn more about the internship program from this BizTimes article. 

Listen to this WUWM “Lake Effect” interview with MIAD President Jeff Morin and Imagine MKE CEO David Lee, where they discuss creating a sustainable and equitable arts career pipeline in Milwaukee.​