Making Sense of Semesters
As multimedia student interns for the CLA Advising team, Priscilla Cheung (Graphic Communications, ’26) and Jillian Noel (Art and Design, ’26) translated complex information into engaging visuals to help students understand Cal Poly’s semester conversion.
After more than four years of university wide planning to convert every academic program from quarters to semesters, Cal Poly was on track to begin the 2026-27 academic year with the new term structure. But first, continuing students needed to understand key changes to make informed decisions about registering for fall 2026 and continuing their studies with semester-based courses. Hoping to more effectively reach students, the CLA Advising team hired two student-intern designers.
Cheung and Noel’s paid internships gave them valuable Learn by Doing experience, while providing the college with clear, engaging student-focused messaging.
“Priscilla and I created a really great touchpoint for advising staff to understand the students’ needs from our perspective,” Noel said. “The advisors knew the information students need, and we helped them find the best ways to deliver that information for our peers to resonate with it.”
The pair spent six months creating accurate but clear equivalency guides for the CLA’s 18 majors, with all required details unique to each program. Noel, a graphic designer in the art and design program, developed the overall layout. Meanwhile, Cheung, a digital content creator in the graphic communication program, designed banner graphics for each individual version of the guide. On completing the guides, the interns shifted to a variety of other projects with new challenges.
“I had expected to mostly create graphics, but every project was completely different,” Cheung said. “It was really rewarding to see my designs out across campus. It was the first time I had worked on a project that reached such a large audience.”
“...you’re always going to learn new things, make mistakes and improve as you go. It’s a lesson I’ll carry with me throughout my career.”
Priscilla Cheung (Graphic Communications, ’26)
According to Associate Dean for Student Success Lauren Kolodziejski, the designs were so effective that Cal Poly leadership used them across the entire university. “We are even using some of their designs during the fall semester to help students continue navigating the transition,” Kolodziejski said.
Both designers expanded their portfolios with projects including social media assets, informational handouts, large signage, and promotional “swag” items for the university wide, student-focused campaign.
“I got to see a 3x6-foot poster I designed hanging in the dining halls and watch people around campus pick up handouts I created,” Noel said. “Stuff like that is just the coolest thing ever. Not only is it really validating as a designer, but you know the work you’re doing is being received and hopefully resonating with students.”
While Cheung and Noel thoroughly enjoyed the design process itself, their favorite part of the internship was working alongside each other. They quickly learned that their styles and modes of thinking were different but complementary. Noel often worked on projects that required a strong eye for layout and design principles, while Cheung focused on social media graphics and swag.
“Our different perspectives made every project stronger,” Cheung said. “Since Jillian and I come from different majors, we each brought different knowledge and strengths to the table. We were always sharing ideas, giving feedback and catching things the other person didn’t notice.”
Through this iterative, collaborative process, they learned how to navigate client relationships while creating engaging designs in alignment with Cal Poly’s branding.
“This internship gave me a ton of experience in settings I’ll be working in as a designer, where a client knows what information they need to share but might not know how to do that visually,” Noel said. “It’s one thing for your professors to explain that, but it’s a whole other thing to experience navigating projects for yourself. I learned that I love the process of discussing a design brief and ideating how to fit the project within the client’s confines while making it super eye catching and fun.”
Cheung and Noel graduated in June 2026, but they will carry these experiences with them.
“My internship reminded me that you’re always going to learn new things, make mistakes and improve as you go. It’s a lesson I’ll carry with me throughout my career,” Cheung said. “I’m hoping to pursue a career in graphic design and/or social media management, and everything I’ve learned during this experience has made me even more excited to continue down that path.”
