From Buckeye to Blueprint: Nicole’s Internship Journey at elite

Nicole Tisch is a rising senior at The Ohio State University and is nearing the end of her 10-week summer internship at elite|studio e. We took a break from our busy week and sat down together to chat about her experience.

Nicole (center) with team members, Jena (left) and Alexa (right). Nicole with fellow intern, Spencer.

What is something new you learned at elite|studio e?

The foodservice industry is entirely new to me, so I had to learn all about the rules, equipment and standards that exist in this industry. However, I learned a lot about senior living and corporate offices in school and I was able to apply my knowledge about human contact and design to this field and that has helped very much. I now have a much more thorough understanding of the industry.

What is something you encountered here that you didn’t expect?

The work environment at elite is something I didn’t expect. Everyone here is very welcoming and helpful and my coworkers were all eager to help me learn. It is a very nice place to work.

What skills are you able to take back to school with you?

I have learned so much about foodservice and I want to do my senior capstone project in this field. I would like to design a marketplace of some kind. Since this new knowledge is still fresh in my mind, I would like to apply it to my schoolwork.

How are you finding a 9-5 job?

A 9-5 job is a big adjustment. I was a summer camp counselor in the past, so I was used to working most of the day, but this is a very different environment. I like being occupied, so always having something to work on here has helped me adjust.

What was a time you felt proud during your internship?

I felt very proud when I was told that one of my projects was being installed. It was a refresh project of the cafe at Mercy University in New York and the client said they were “speechless” at my design. That was really cool to hear.

Two of Nicole's designs for Mercy University.

How has this internship influenced your career goals?

This internship has definitely pushed me to want to get my NCIDQ license, especially after talking to some of the other designers here. The internship has also given me a new look into the commercial field. We learned a bit about it in school, but getting to actually apply it to real-world situations is helpful and it makes me excited.

What is the most challenging thing you have encountered while you were here?

Learning and memorizing all the equipment have been the most challenging aspects. Figuring out what I’m looking at and what goes where is difficult. I know that I won’t know it all right away, but it’s been getting easier over time.

We're happy to have had you with us for the summer and we hope you've gained valuable experience while you were here!