cover letterresumesample portfolio

saralee gordon

Dear Jonina and Bradley,

As a senior at Michigan State University, working on a Bachelor of Fine Arts in studio art with a concentration in graphic design, I believe your internship at SKAGGS provides the ideal opportunity for me to transition from a hard-working student to a successful designer.

Through the experiences of maintaining client relationships, developing fresh designs, and, most of all, being surrounded by a group of innovative designers, I am confident I will progress as a designer. The opportunities for growth as an intern at SKAGGS are beyond promising.

While earning my degree in graphic design, I evolved from a computer novice, who relied on construction paper, markers, and colored pencils, to someone who truly uses software as a tool to express my design thinking. I’m now one of three staff designers for the nationally recognized Michigan State University’s yearbook, the Red Cedar Log. I’ve learned to appreciate the effortless relationship between words and image, and how to use inventive design elements to highlight clean layouts.

With SKAGGS’s commitment to, and my love for, the simple details of design, I am confident that I can achieve and go beyond what your internship demands. I’ve attached my resume and portfolio (which can also be viewed at ________), and look forward to speaking with you in the near future about the chance to eagerly apply my experience and education to your internship.

Thank you for you consideration,

Saralee Gordon

SKAGGS Creative Agency305 Church Street

New York City, NY 10013

saraleegordon@gmail.com, 248 789 3566saralee gordon

education

work experience

awards & exhibiions

skills

Michigan State University, 2007–presentBachelor of Fine Arts with a Concentration in Graphic DesignSpecialization in Design Current GPA 3.9/4.0 Study Abroad: Music, Art, and Language in Bregenz, Austria, Summer 2009Studied art and music history through visits to celebrated museums and symphonies, as well as travels to the picturesque cities of Vienna, Munich, and Florence.

Red Cedar Log, Staff Designer, 2010–presentDesigning layouts for the 2010-2011 edition of Michigan State University’s Yearbook, the Red Cedar Log. Heightening communication, InDesign, and Illustrator skills, as well as ability to work in a group atmosphere.

William Beaumont Hospital, Patient Registrar, 2007– presentEnsuring efficient customer/patient service by maintaining a patient database, compiling paperwork, as well as verifiing the patient’s insurance before and after arrival. Successfully maintaining an orderly working envrionment and patient satisfication while answering phone calls, registering patients, and organizing future schedules and appointments. Lola’s Salon, Receptionist, 2006 –2007Heightened communication skills and customer service.Responsible for scheduling appointments and file organization.Maintained order and cleanliness throughout the salon.

AIGA “Wish You Were Here” FinalistOne of Twenty-five postcards to be printed by AIGA, featuring the positive and unique qualities of Michigan.

Dean’s List, 2007– 2010

Undergraduate Exhibition, 2010– 2011Featured in an exhibition showcasing exceptional undergraduate pieces. Undergraduate Foundations Exhibition, 2009Featured in an exhibition showcasing exceptional undergraduate pieces from foundation classes. Study Abroad Scholarship, 2009 A.V. Case Scholarship, 2009 MSU Federal Credit Union Scholarship, 2009

Experience with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and FlashExperience with Final Cut ProKnowledgeable in basic word processing

saraleegordon@gmail.com, 248 789 3566saralee gordon

othello poster Poster for Shakespeare's play Othello. The poster depicts Othello being possessed by his envy, with every feature disappearing from his face except his green eyes. Hand drawn typography emphasizes the character’s emotional strain.

cinderella book cover Book cover for Charles Perraullt's Cinderella. The shoe pattern symbolizes the prince’s search for Cinderella—a Where’s Waldo approach to highlighting that of all the ladies who tried, only one could truly wear the glass slippers.

animal logo Animal logo made for the Sloth. The round shape of the logo represents the sloth’s circular living –only climbing up and down one particular tree for its whole life. The leaf in the middle represents the Cecropia leaf, a staple in a sloth’s diet.

detroit zoo postcard Postcard made to encourage Michigan tourism by highlighting the state’s wonderful assets. The postcard showcases the Detroit Zoo, as well as the beautiful peacocks that roam freely around the zoo’s grounds.

expressive words The meaning of the word “Flirt” using only the letters in the word. The letters reach and lean towards each other, only slightly touching in some places - flirting with the idea of contact.

mini collages These small collages each feature individual designs presented in the same pod-like form. Meant to be displayed piled together in a discreet location - such as a corner - these tiny collages emphasize how special the discovery of beauty is.

english department brochure

This brochure was created for the Michigan State University English Department for a project in class. I used a CMYK color scheme as well as several typefaces to stress the importance and uniqueness of printed works.

mrs eaves spreads These spreads were created to display and discuss the typeface Mrs Eaves. In order to successfully express the personality of the typeface, I focused on its playful qualities and unique ligatures.

typeset poem A typesetting of Robert Frost’s poem “The Sound of the Trees”. Though a little obvious, I set the poem in the shape of the tree, emphasizing a single line as the branch.

animal logo process book

A book that illustrates my thought and physical process when designing an Animal Logo for the Sloth. I decided to organize my information by displaying each sketch and idea on a tree branch that spreads throughout the book to emphasize the path I took to get to the final logo.