LaunchPad Learnings from our Student Designers
Our Spring 2025 Graphic Design co-ops are here to share the student perspective on Mertz Design Studio’s innovative LaunchPad program.
At Mertz Design, we provide students with an internship opportunity like no other. Our revolutionary LaunchPad program partners small businesses and startups with expert designers that mentor a team of student co-ops—at a reduced cost to you. Our approach is simple: We guide. They learn. You grow.
But what exactly do they learn through their experiences with LaunchPad as student designers? Well, there’s no better way to answer that question than to hear from our team of co-ops themselves. Below three of our co-ops, Emily, Olivia, and Lilly, reflect on what they learned from being a part of Mertz Design’s LaunchPad program for a semester.
“Being a part of the LaunchPad program challenged me in new ways and empowered me to grow as a designer and a professional. Through LaunchPad, I had the opportunity to lead a huge rebrand and web design project from start to finish, which allowed me to see my design work launch for the first time. It was incredibly rewarding to see my tangible impact on a company and to leave with a robust, real-world project to share in my portfolio. During my experience, I learned how to collaborate with clients and external partners, strategically make design decisions, and effectively present my work and ideas.
LaunchPad also enabled me to take initiative and ownership of my project, helping me develop fundamental leadership and time management skills. Though it was challenging at times to juggle so many moving parts of a project, it taught me how to balance my workload with the support of the Mertz Design team. The team at Mertz Design Studio provided exceptional mentorship and ensured I always felt respected, allowing me to build confidence in my role. I felt like I was given the type of work and responsibility I was ready for and needed in order to grow. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities I had thanks to LaunchPad and can’t wait to carry these learnings into my future professional endeavors!”
- Emily Kaman | Graphic Design Intern
“During my time at Mertz Design Studio, I experienced a tremendous amount of personal and professional growth thanks to the LaunchPad program. As a first-time co-op, I came in with no professional design experience or expectations of how I would fit in. I felt supported by the entire team, and everyone was incredibly patient and helpful with any questions that I had. Through the LaunchPad program, I had the opportunity to lead design projects for clients, which helped me develop many professional skills like client communication and presentation abilities. I’ll be leaving this co-op with multiple real client projects that I can share in my portfolio.
From my first day on the job, I felt welcomed and like I was a part of the team—even as an intern. Mertz Design has cultivated such a vibrant and positive work culture that made me look forward to coming into the office each day. I was never made to feel like my questions were “dumb” or that I was “just the intern.” The Mertz Design team and the LaunchPad program enabled me to build personal and professional connections that will last far beyond my co-op.”
- Olivia Harris | Graphic Design Intern
“During my internship experience with the LanchPad program, I had the opportunity to contribute to a wide range of projects—partnering with small businesses to build identities from the ground up, managing ongoing rounds of detailed client edits, assisting with print production and prototyping, supporting research and ideation phases, crafting presentations, and building relationships through regular client communication. These experiences were rewarding, but they also came with challenges—which, with the team’s guidance, became valuable parts of my internship.
It was a challenge to balance what the client wanted for a project with where I felt the project needed to go creatively, but sometimes projects have constraints we don't agree with. Working with clients firsthand, taking in their feedback, and collaborating with the Mertz Design team taught me not to stress over client requests I can't control and to make the most out of every given assignment, no matter the constraints. One of the biggest lessons I learned this semester is that while design is a powerful force that shapes how we interact with the world, it doesn’t have to be treated like a life-or-death pursuit. The Mertz Design team helped me understand that good design comes not just from skill, but also from staying curious, inspired, and balanced. Even when projects got repetitive or challenging, they were intentional about turning every task into a learning opportunity. Their support made it easier to push through tough moments, and their example taught me the value of maintaining passion for your work without letting it consume you. That balance—of effort, perspective, and care—was one of the most impactful takeaways from my co-op.”
- Lilly Rohling | Graphic Design Intern
LaunchPad is made possible by the talent, dedication, and curiosity that our students bring to the program. A huge shoutout to Emily, Olivia, and Lilly for all their hard work this semester!
Check out their work and follow along on their professional journeys below:
Emily Kaman | www.emilykamandesign.com
Olivia Harris | www.oliviaharrisdesign.com
Lilly Rohling | www.lilly-rohling.com
