On the morning of July 9, 2012 I did not expect much, or at least I tried not to. I did not want to get nervous, so I was just going to take everything as is. I only hoped that I would actually get to design and put my very little skills to work rather than doing grunt work. But, again, I tried not to set expectations.
Boy, was I excited though! Ever since last summer at Children’s Hospital Boston, design was all fun to me, despite any stress from projects. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I could not wait for what was in store for me.
What was in store for me was overwhelming—I was so out of tune with InDesign and Photoshop, and my mentor Eric really tested my knowledge. So, the first day of work I was stuck doing grunt work to figure out on my own. Things picked up on the second day and I got to actually start designing something—it was just a handout about digital art. It’s still not done. My mentor decided to give me no limitations with what I could do with the design. But what I thought was pretty good, Eric ripped apart and showed me other better possibilities for it. It didn’t bother me at all, and in fact, I’m thankful and not offended. This way I’m really going to learn a lot, and that’s really what I’m looking forward to—learning. This summer I really want to hone in on my skills and keep developing as a designer and artist, and I think HUP is a great place for that. From the first week at work, I feel that this is going to require a lot of hard work on my end.
Well, keep it coming, Harvard University Press! The summer has only begun, and Friday marked my first book jacket design. I’m eager for more.
Ena Kantardzic, Youth Design Class of 2011-2012
Eric Mulder, Mentor, Harvard University Press