Before she even completed high school, Krista Talley was accomplishing great things. Through the Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program in Minnesota, Krista enrolled in technical college in her hometown of Alexandria, MN. One month prior to graduating high school, she received her associated degree.
“Not only was taking college courses for two years a great segue to a four-year university, but it also helped me figure out what I wanted to do for a career,” Krista says. Krista set her sights on Minnesota State University, Moorhead to pursue her dream of becoming a graphic designer.
Now Krista is navigating her senior year in college and an internship in the BCBSND Brand and Marketing communications department while people across the world adapt amid the global pandemic.
Choosing the right place
At the start of her senior year at MSUM, Krista was looking for an internship with an established company in the F-M area. Her academic advisor emailed her the internship opportunity at BCBSND and she applied immediately.
“I’ve always heard great things about BCBSND,” Krista says. “Once I saw an opportunity to be a part of this company, I immediately sent in my application.”
A unique time to be an intern
From her interview to her first day at BCBSND, Krista “felt very comfortable during the entire process. My supervisor and everyone I met on my first day made me want to work with them.”
After only two weeks at Blue, BCBSND employees started working from home due to COVID-19. And as an intern, Krista transitioned to work from home too. She says it’s been an adjustment, but her supervisor and team made the transition easy.
“My supervisor was very helpful in getting me set up and comfortable with working from home,” says Krista. “As a relatively new intern, I still run into questions and things I may need help on, but my team and supervisor have been there to help me navigate through my questions and obstacles.”
A learning experience
Although her work environment may be different than she expected, Krista says she is making the most out of this opportunity and building skills that’ll help her reach her goals.
“I’ve learned so much about graphic design in the real world,” Krista says. “Seeing the day to day of what graphic designers do and getting an inside look on the career has been so beneficial for my future as a designer. I have learned so much about the backside and technical side of graphic design that school doesn’t teach like about printing, paper and accessibility.”
Memories and advice
Krista says her favorite memory so far at blue is when she was introduced to her team and talked to each of them to learn more about their roles. She advises future interns to do the same and get to know their team. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Goals and looking to the future
Krista always had big dreams and has been working towards her goals since she was a child. She believes by continuing to grow personally and professionally that she’ll be able to achieve many of the things she strives for. She graduates this fall and is looking forward to sticking around the F-M area and getting a graphic design job.
