INTRODUCTION
My name is Riley Scott, a second-year student at Kansas State studying strategic communications with a concentration in graphic design. I'm from Paola, KS, and I want to work in creative direction and brand management.
During the spring 2025 semester, I have conducted my internship with Student Creative Services in the K-State Student Union as the team's student lead. Student Creative Services serves K-State student organizations with free brand strategy, social media and graphic design services to grow their brand on campus. My position requires I work in all of those areas, working in graphic design, photography, video production, social media planning and more. Beyond my project contributions, I created and manage our brand identity, conduct client outreach and attend networking events to promote the organization's growth.
THE FUN STUFF
As of March 7, I have worked on 13 projects. I've created print materials, social media campaigns, short-form videos, a t-shirt and digital graphics content and provided live event coverage. This includes a campaign promoting Student Governing Association elections, a newsletter for Wildcat Rocketry, branding for K-State Fencing Club, a brand identity and promotional materials for Student Creative Services, short-form video content for K-State Esports and SGA and much more. Below are some examples of my work since the start of my internship. Below the examples are larger project highlights.
SGA SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN
We determined a large scope with a very short time frame for SGA's election coverage, but I believe we provided very solid deliverables and a strong strategy. We planned collaborative content between SGA, the Union and the University to get maximum reach. This required working closely with K-State's social media manager and our director of marketing at the Union to ensure everything met style requirements. This was definitely a highlight of the project.
We also provided several graphics for the project, combining photos we took with type and gradient overlays to maximize engagement and dissemination of information.
We wrote, recorded and edited short-form video content promoting the SGA elections process and encouraging students to get involved in student government. We prioritized what we called "zoomer editing," meaning providing quick edits and short runtime to maximize engagement from our target audience. To achieve this, we made use of visual hooks, short scripts and snappy cuts.
K-STATE ESPORTS SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT
For K-State Esports, we have provided social media management services. As part of this commitment, we have created short-form video content, event announcements, fun meme content and giveaway promotions. While Esports has had inconsistent social media posting since its founding a few years ago, we have ensured multiple posts a week since starting this service.
We provided the client templates to post match results as they happen, too, ensuring that there is consistent coverage of important organization events even outside of our team's hours and availability. Because we have focused primarily on the club (not the competitive side), we have focused much of our energy on event promotions. This was done in a variety of methods, all promoting weekly events focused on gaming.
LESSONS AND CONCLUSIONS
Over the span of the first half of my internship, I have definitely had to refine my organizational and project management skills. After our promotional tour in January, our total number of projects increased dramatically, requiring our team (and especially me due to my increased allotted hours) to take on more than we have in the past. This was a great sign of success, but it tested our ability to juggle so many projects at once.
I have also grown as a creative during this time, flexing skills in video production, social media strategy and client relations that I haven't had to in my previous jobs. It has been very rewarding proving myself in areas I haven't had the chance to.
Overall, this internship has been a fantastic experience and a great opportunity. SCS is a truly unique team, providing agency-style experience in a non-profit environment that feels very fulfilling. I'd love to move into a full-time position at the Union after I graduate.