newsworthy
July 27, 2009 — Like many other local businesses, Double Diamond Design (DDD), a full-service marketing firm located at 501 Union St., offers interns an opportunity to further their education and apply skills in real-world situations. The well-established agency has been doing this three times a year since 1997. But this summer, DDD’s colorful downtown offices took on a slightly different character than ever before. Three interns — representing different schools, states, and even countries — filled the offices at DDD, bringing unique backgrounds, languages, and skills to an already crazy-filled but productive environment.
Sarah Zimmerman, 20, a junior at Elon University in North Carolina, is a native Nashvillian majoring in Corporate Communications. “This is the first internship where I actually felt like I was a part of the office and was given the opportunity to contribute creatively.” Sarah left Nashville in 2007 to start her education and has plans to study media culture in Japan in January 2010.
“I have to admit I was a bit overwhelmed at the beginning when I was thrown into a commercial television shoot on my first day, but I think that experience set the bar for the rest of the internship,” Sarah says, as she flips open her laptop and makes herself cozy on the office couch.
Always sitting close by to Sarah is Amy Basta, 27, a senior at Middle Tennessee State University. “When I was offered the internship at DDD, I had no idea the amount of valuable information I would learn. From creating email blasts to going on photo shoots in cow pastures, DDD has created an experience for me that I will never forget.” Amy moved from Maryland in 1999 to pursue a degree in music at Belmont University, and after many years of deliberation, her creative instincts led her to the world of advertising and marketing.
“I can’t believe I am graduating in only a few short weeks! It is exciting and scary at the same time, but I feel confident that I will find a job in this market because of the experience I gained while working at DDD,” Amy says, seemingly glowing at the thought of graduation.
Only a few steps away, Heloise Derly, 18, is squeezing paint from a jar as she is getting ready to create a massive billboard commemorating DDD’s extensive range of past projects. Heloise comes to Nashville from Bourgogne, France, where she studies Art at ESAAB (School of Superior Art and Application).
“Having a student from France has been a learning experience for all of us. Not only have we had to fight with the obvious language barrier, but the difference in computer terminology lends itself to some pretty funny situations,” says Angela Evans, owner of DDD. “I have had to recall the French language from my college days in the early 1990s at Penn State. And back then, we didn’t even have email!”
Heloise listens intently as her fellow workmates discuss creative strategies and market challenges. “I have enjoyed working with all the girls at DDD. They are very happy, sympathetic people. I am excited to have seen the banner I created for the Safari Swizzle Zoo event, and I now know what a lightning bug is,” says the outgoing teenager in a beautiful, flowing French accent.
DDD offers students a place to work creatively while learning the marketing business as a whole. Both Project Manager (a.k.a. Princess of Particulars), Jesse Morgan, and Web Developer (a.k.a. Fixer of Graphic Conundrums), Alison Carrier, agree that the interns play an important role at DDD, and “they will be missed!”
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From left to right, interns Sarah Zimmerman, Héloise Derly, and Amy Basta prefer to work as a team in one office. They easily blend in to Double Diamond Design’s casual, often crazy, environment.
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