Milton Glaser is one of the most renowned graphic designers in the world. "Never heard of him," you might think. Well, you might not know him, but you certainly know his work. The American, born in 1929 and passed away in 2020 (both in New York), designed the iconic I❤️NY logo. Fun fact: he did it for free because he loved the city so much. A real New Yorker at heart.
See, you do know him after all.
Milton once said something about graphic design that's equally relevant to designing experiences for interns. "Look," Milton said, "There are three responses to a piece of design:
No
Yes
WOW"
Always aim for the WOW.
“There are three responses to a piece of design — yes, no, and WOW! Wow is the one to aim for.” — Milton Glaser.
The same applies to designing internship experiences. If students rate their internships an average of 8.4 (as shown in the Dutch annual internship monitor), you need to pull out all the stops to make a lasting impression. In this scenario, good is simply not good enough. Or as Glaser elegantly put it, “Good is the enemy of great.”
That’s very New York. And very true.
“There are three responses to a piece of design — yes, no, and WOW! Wow is the one to aim for.” — Milton Glaser.
In today’s tight job market, it's unrealistic to think you can attract and retain students with just an 'okay' offer. You need to go for the WOW. Not with bean bags and ping pong tables, but with a smart, effective, and well-thought-out process that puts the student experience at the forefront.
The difference between a ‘yes’ and a ‘wow’ is like the difference between a sparkler and a fireworks display. One is mildly entertaining, the other is utterly captivating. And who wants to be merely entertained when they could be captivated?
Take a leaf out of Glaser’s book and aim higher. Don’t settle for good when great is within reach. Innovate, engage, and make every touchpoint memorable. That’s how you transform an ordinary internship into an extraordinary journey.
Remember, creating a WOW experience isn't about flashy perks; it's about making students feel valued and engaged through every step of their internship. That’s the real magic. That’s what makes them say, "WOW."