Name: Gina Figliozzi
Hometown: St. James, New York
Year: Class of 2020
Major: Studio art with a minor in communication
Internship: Figliozzi will be working in the publishing department of Marvel Entertainment in New York City as a digital comics intern. Her primary responsibilities include formatting digital copies of comic books, redesigning cover images and making seamless visual transitions once the original comic books are processed for digitalization.
How HPU helped you get there: “HPU provided extremely inspirational professors who encouraged and pushed me to apply myself in professional and academic endeavors. HPU’s outlook of developing a “growth mindset” really did aid in boosting my confidence and helped me be more of a go-getter by opening up my mind to all of the potential paths that exist beyond the four years of schooling. I met with Kellie McLeod in the Office of Career and Professional Development over the course of the past school year to go over techniques and processes such as informational interviewing, successful interviewing skills and how to reach out to companies to ask for career advice or make your name known.”
Most impactful mentor at HPU: “Professor Mark Brown always pushes me to go outside of my comfort zone and challenges me to think in the moment and not the distant future. His advice and creativeness has really impacted me in applying to Marvel and taking on new projects with confidence. Professor Phil Watson always motivates me to go above and beyond and has given me the confidence to trust my skills and execute a presentation or project effectively. He is always motivating me and genuinely cares about my future success.
What has your internship experience been like, and how is it preparing you for your future?: “I aspire to work at Disney in the Imagineering department, creating the concepts behind the newest attractions l, restaurants and other installments. Working at Marvel has not only heightened my overall Disney company knowledge but also heightened my skills in digital platforms and design work.”