Photo by: Jeremiah Thomas

By Colin Royal, Staff Writer

 

Securing an internship is a battle of skill, experience, and connections. Hundreds, sometimes thousands of applicants apply for the same opportunity in hopes of being of the 1% selected. Spending hours on an application in hopes that it stands out above the rest, Morehouse sophomore, Dominick Williams, made his dream become a reality. 

 

Williams was one of a few visual artists selected to intern with Beats. While applying and during the internship itself, Williams gained the opportunity to meet with executives, creative directors/designers, and other well-known celebrities who are a part of the Apple and Beats company. 

 

Williams was introduced to this opportunity through his older cousin. She sent the internship application to him on Instagram and from there he decided to bet on himself. He never tried anything like this before, so pursuing this internship was a unique and new process for him.  

 

When applying for the opportunity, Williams had no real experience with how to market himself. “I didn’t know how to make a formal artist portfolio, so I just made something real quick, like a few days before,” Williams said.  

 

Luckily for him, his talent drastically outweighed his inexperience. Shortly after submitting his portfolio, he was chosen for the internship. After his acceptance, he and his fellow interns devoted about a month to just have meetings with the company soaking in knowledge. The companies’ executives wanted to ensure that Williams and his co-workers knew what was expected of them going forward.  

 

After this vetting process, Williams was finally able to get into the actual work. During the internship, Williams worked as a custom creator. “Basically, my job was to design the product and start a seeding process,” Williams said.   

 

Williams was tasked with using his signature style to create something unique for specific Beats clientele, however, as a custom creator, Williams had the leeway to develop designs that satisfied his employers and showcased his artistry.  

 

Throughout the process, Williams stayed true to his style and vision as an artist. This individuality and originality ultimately contributed to him gaining more opportunities within the internship.  

 

“I ended up being the first college student paired with an athlete to make a product,” Williams said.

 

That athlete happened to be star Jackson State quarterback, Shedeur Sanders (now University of Colorado). He is the son of NFL Legend, Deion Sanders. 

 

After being selected to work with Sanders, Williams did most of his work over the phone. He hopped on various calls with Sanders and executives from Beats and Apple to ensure that he was making a product that satisfied Sanders.  

 

The phone calls consisted of talking with Sanders to find out what was meaningful to him and how he wanted himself to be displayed through Williams’ art.   

 

With these bits of information, Williams produced multiple drafts. He worked hard to do right by the company and the client. Ultimately, his work paid off because his designs were one of a few that were chosen by Sanders.  

 

After being chosen, Williams was flown out to Jackson, Mississippi, to meet with Sanders in person.

 

“It was honoring to know that my art style was appreciated by one of the top college quarterbacks in the nation,”  Williams said.

 

Williams was overwhelmed. Taking in the entire experience, he was extremely grateful and excited by the whole ordeal. He truly felt that his artistry was not only recognized but validated by the internship.  

 

In addition to sharing his art with influential brands and businesses, Williams also got the opportunity to network and connect with some of the most powerful and popular business executives, creative designers, and celebrities in an array of industries.  

 

Reflecting on his experience, Williams provided awe, gratitude, and advice.  

 

The awe came from the chance to see his art succeed within a globally recognized organization. The gratitude came from the many connections that he made as a result of the process. The advice was targeted at people who Williams thought to be like himself. 

 

“If any of them are like me, typically more reserved, take more risks,” Williams said. “If you’re low key at times, that can guarantee that you stay low key.”  

Copy Edited by Marlon “MJ” Scott