Intern Spotlight: Sarah Slaughter

Axiom Intern Sarah Slaughter | Photo by Jill Hunter

The internship program at Axiom has long been a source of creative talent and fresh perspectives for the agency. The additional set of hands are always welcome in the studio and we are privileged to be able to offer college students a glimpse of what life is like in a marketing/advertising agency, provide hands-on training and real-world experience that makes them competitive in the job market upon graduation. Our program attracts top students from a wide variety of disciplines. The benefits for Axiom are salient as well; roughly a quarter of our current staff started as interns.


This summer, we are glad to welcome Sarah Slaughter to the studio. A Houston native, she is a student at Stephen F. Austin University, currently studying Advertising Design. Her projected graduation date is 2014.

Axiom: What's your current major?
Sarah Slaughter: Advertising Design

Axiom: What got you interested in that field?
SS: When I first started college, I was a journalism major with an art minor. I took an advertising design class my third semester where we created our own restaurant. The professor had us design our own logo, menu, print ads, uniform, etc. for the restaurant, which was completely made up from our own minds. Every person's restaurant was different.  After taking that class and many discussions with my professor and classmates, I couldn't help but fall in love with not only the creative freedom I had, but also a sense of practicality and the importance of relaying a message I found in advertising and design.

Axiom: For your internship, what are the goals you hope to accomplish? 
SS: At the end of my internship here I would like to walk away with more knowledge and understanding of how an agency meets their clients needs. Specifically, I think it would be beneficial to become more familiar with areas I have yet to be exposed to in school, such as; strategy profiling, the printing process, and web design.

Axiom: When you aren't in school or working how do you spend your time?
SS: Mostly when I'm not at school, I spend my free time with family and friends from back home. I like taking advantage of all the good restaurants and shops Houston has while I'm here, so I get out whenever I can!

Axiom: What do you like to read or do for creative inspiration?
SS: I like going into stores and looking at books and magazines like HOW and CMYK. I also like to look at online tutorials and blogs to spot trends and learn design techniques (Logo Design Love, I Love Typography, Color Scheme Designer and Tutorial Blog). When none of those things work, I'll go for a walk or go out for lunch and try to get inspired by what I see.

Axiom: Who are your design heroes or what designers are you following right now?
SS: Milton Glaser is a fantastic designer that I look up to, and I love Eric Van Den Boom right now for his vintage yet modern looking illustrations.

Axiom: What's your favorite typeface?
SS: Helvetica. I also love Century Gothic for its clean, crisp look-and-feel.

Axiom: What's it like working in the renovated Fire Station No. 6?
SS: It's a fun and exciting place to work, and I am very appreciative to be a part of it. I think the building has helped stimulate my creativity not only because it is aesthetically pleasing, but also the openness of the office space and the ease of communicating with others provides a unique touch I think would be hard to find in other work environments.