Every summer, DTL takes on bright new interns who have a desire to connect to DTL’s mission. Whether through Kamehameha Schools’ Kāpili ‘Oihana Internship Program (KOIP) or other outlets, DTL has welcomed college students to learn more about DTL, the projects and clients we support, and hopefully valuable career skills to enrich their personal and professional passions. From this experience, we were also blessed to hire (for the first time!) two former interns from KOIP — Kim-Hee Wong and Kaiani Kī‘aha.
We had so much fun working with all our interns and love hearing what they enjoyed most about working with us too! Here’s a little taste of what they said….
Kalau Tanaka-Pesamino
From: Wailua, Kauaʻi
College, Major: Wellesley College, Computer Science
“Working in the shared DTL/WCIT space contributed to my positive internship experience because it was welcoming, collaborative, and modern. In this space, I was always welcomed at the lunch table, I felt comfortable discussing projects with and getting feedback from fellow interns and other employees, and I was encouraged to take breaks as I needed them. DTL and WCIT really set the bar high for my future job searches, but I’m so grateful to have had this opportunity. I’m going to miss all of the wonderful people I met this summer (and the dishwasher, ping pong table, and puzzles). DTL, thank you so much!”
Jherica Raposa
From: Kapolei, O‘ahu
College, Major: Southern Oregon University, Communication Studies, minors in Psychology and International Studies
“DTL gave me experience working with various companies and project groups – adding a sense of Hawaiian values into each planning phase. Using the Moʻo Methodology, I was able to fully comprehend how various values within physical, cultural, and spiritual aspects throughout Hawaiʻi and Kanaka Maoli intertwine; that everything in Hawaiʻi is connected. Here at DTL, I learned skills that encouraged me to become more ‘ōiwi and become maopopo with what it truly means to be Hawaiian. My time here at DTL has encouraged me to become proactive in using my career to strengthen our lāhui.”
Charlie Fox
From: Hawaiʻi Kai, O‘ahu
College, Major: Colorado College, Integrative Design
“Working at DTL allowed me to meet wonderful new people who have all traveled a unique path, but still feel a deep connection to their home in Hawaiʻi. DTL gave me the opportunity to work with other graphic designers and, just as importantly, other professionals with backgrounds in communications, event planning, history, and more. This wealth of experience and knowledge made my internship a valuable time for learning and growth.
One of my final projects was designing a wall installation for DTL’s conference room that highlighted their values. Because the design will be cut out from a pvc board, it was challenging to only work in positive and negative space and to make sure the design would stay intact once it was cut. Hopefully when I return to visit, DTL will have a brand-new art piece in their conference room!”
Ululani Siangco
From: Hālawa, O‘ahu
College, Major: Honolulu Community College, Graphic Design
“Working at DTL has helped me as an individual in my current career field because it gave me a better exposition of the type of projects I would possibly be subjected to doing if I continued down my aspirational path. As a visual learner, physically being in the DTL environment gave me a better understanding of what a design studio really is instead of me trying to interpret what it is based off of what I absorbed from the website.
The time I spent at DTL has provided me with multiple skills that I can take away. A lot of these skills came from interning under Jason Antonio. He provided me with tips on how to organize a presentation better, and described the origin of how a logo is created.”
