Summer 2024 Intern Profile: Gabriela Lucía Nesheim
This summer, Gabriela Lucía Nesheim took on the exciting role of a UX Design intern, diving into the world of user-centered design with a tech company that values innovation and creativity. Through hands-on experience, they explored how user experience design shapes the way people interact with technology—from the initial concept to the final product.
In their intern profile, Gabriela Lucía Nesheim shares what it was like to work on real projects, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and tackle the challenges of designing intuitive, engaging interfaces.
Can you first tell us a little bit about yourself?
I’m a UX/UI Designer and Researcher with a passion for human-centered design, creative problem-solving, and accessibility. I approach everything I do with curiosity, empathy, and a deeply-rooted desire to improve people's lives.
What variety of projects did you work on during your internship, and what skills did you develop?
I worked on a wide variety of projects during my internship, including creating a branding guideline to help my clients better represent themselves across their many platforms and product offerings (a website, an app, a newsletter, and consulting services). This project allowed me to broaden my skill set by honing in on branding and graphic design, which were areas I had yet to thoroughly explore. I also created low-fidelity wireframes and a high-fidelity prototype of the Home screen for their app, which helped me sharpen my ability to receive client feedback and translate that into a finished product.
In what ways did the internship provide opportunities for your personal and professional growth?
The Hack the Gap team encourages interns to connect and help each other, which has made a huge difference in my personal and professional growth. I am building both a strong network as well as a strong support system. I appreciate doing this internship while also having mentors I can check in with whenever I have questions or concerns about communications, etiquette, and expectations in a professional setting and in the tech industry.
“As a UX Designer, I realized how useful it is to have knowledge of branding and graphic design. This internship allowed me to dive head-first into those areas and really develop those skills.”
Can you describe a specific challenging project you worked on, and how you approached it?
A project that was challenging for me was creating a branding guideline and branding narrative for my clients, which was something I didn't have a lot of specialized knowledge about. After vigorous research on my part and the tremendous help of my Hack the Gap mentors and team members, I was able to pull it off! I presented my clients with User Personas, a Brand Analysis featuring two case studies of brands similar to theirs, and a Branding Guideline/Pitch Deck. It felt like I was traversing unfamiliar territory at first, but things are always gonna feel a little confusing before you take the time to get to know them! Plus, my mentors helped guide me every step of the way, while also encouraging me to take risks, make mistakes, and grow from there.
How did interactions with your mentor and other team members enhance your internship experience?
You don't know what you don't know, and I believe it's the job of a mentor to help you ask the right questions and fill in those gaps. My mentors and team members have been fantastic advocates, always there to offer valuable guidance, advice, and critique. Hearing my mentors' perspectives gave me so much insight and inspiration. My project manager was also an incredible asset. It has been so important to me to have someone there to help organize my thoughts, keep me on track, and effectively communicate with clients.
How is the internship shaping your views on leadership and diversity within the tech industry?
Overcoming the challenges and succeeding in this internship helped me realize how much I have to offer. I feel much more confident in my abilities, from the technical to the creative to the social. If ever I'm discouraged, I can look back on this internship experience and see how much progress I made personally and professionally over a short period of time and how I'm capable of taking on jobs that I may at first feel like I'm not ready for.
“ Self-doubt is hard to shake, but I recently realized how many brilliant and forward-thinking minds the tech industry would be robbed of if we all gave in to our doubts. ”
This internship also showed me how important it is to rely on a team and a support system. In a highly individualistic society, I'm often conditioned to go against my cultural instincts towards community and collaboration. But I fought that conditioning and asked my Hack the Gap mentors for help, which ended up not only helping me finish the project, but also helped me feel safe and supported among a collective.
What advice would you currently give to future interns to make the most out of their internship experiences based on what you’ve learned so far?
My advice for future interns looking to make the most out of their experience would be to ask a lot of questions, reach out to mentors, connect with other members of your cohort, research as much as you can online, and have confidence in your skills and all the knowledge you've garnered up to this point. I would encourage future interns to ask Hack the Gap staff for guidance and advice as you navigate your internship. Everyone was so ready to offer support, resources, and valuable critique. Through challenges and successes, they will be there in your corner.
And finally, what are the biggest learnings and takeaways you have gathered during your internship?
The biggest takeaway I've gathered during my internship has been to be flexible and adaptable, as well as trust in your instincts and abilities. I struggle a lot with imposter syndrome, but I've discovered how valuable it is to be able to go with the flow and do what you can with the skills you have and the tools you've been given. This internship helped me improve my ability to effectively communicate with clients, contributing to clearer expectations and deliverables. I acquired new graphic design skills. Over the course of this internship, I discovered the value of teamwork and my ability to be adaptable.
To connect with Gabriela, you can view their LinkedIn profile here and explore their portfolio here.
Interested in our User Experience Design programming? Apply to our UX Design with Digital Marketing Spring 2025 cohort here.
This programming is part of Ramsey County and the City of Saint Paul's Learn and Earn program. Find more information on the program here.