Brad Ulrich
I’ve put together this little book to show you what I can do to help you as an intern during the summer. I’d come down and tell you myself, but I live in Oklahoma and usually ride a bike. I figured this was more efficient.
Hi. I’m Brad.
I’m a junior at Oklahoma State University. I started reading Relevant Magazine in September at a friend’s house and subscribed myself later that night. The content, the design, the worldview - it all lined up. After a quick look through the web site, I found the internship page and the link to Relevant Solutions. After dealing with a personal struggle with the corporate, consumerist, advertising profession, I’ve come to realize I’d much rather work for an organization that shares my values as a Christian, than at an agency that would be counter-productive in spreading the kind of life I hope to lead. This seemed like a problem considering I am an advertising major with a marketing minor. How was I to use the skills I’d spent years accumulating? Relevant gave me hope that there are companies out there where I can contribute without trading in my soul for a cubicle. I belong at a place like Relevant Magazine because I feel that I reflect the culture that it promotes, and I am a skilled marketer and designer ready to do work that I believe in.
Whythis guy? Despite my recent dissociations with typical advertising and marketing culture in America, I’m probably the most involved advertising student on campus at Oklahoma State.
I know the industry. I understand the techniques. As the VP of our OSU AdClub, I organized people and events, facilitated visiting speakers, and designed advertising for the club. A branch of AdClub, University Advertising, is a student-run advertising agency for local clients and campus organizations. All of the money we make goes back to AdClub. So I’m used to working for free - and working well for free. I am the creative director and a graphic designer for UA. Last summer I worked as an unpaid intern for Jordan Associates - a full service advertising agency in Oklahoma City. I worked as an assistant art director, but was involved in the whole creative process on multiple accounts. When the summer ended they asked me to work for them as a freelancer on Fridays to help alleviate the workload their full-time designers had gotten used to during the summer.
I have also worked as a freelance designer in Oklahoma City for a couple of clients locally. Jan Stewart owns a women’s clothing boutique in Oklahoma City. She needed a more modern look and feel to give her brand a sophisticated image. I had some photography done and produced direct mail pieces for her: three per month since September. She has had a huge influx of customers since the mailers went out and has seen significant sales increases. I have designed logos for Cattle Stats and CU Photo, both in Oklahoma City. CU Photo is currently in web development. Aside from my personal web site, I have built web sites for the OSU Sports Media Club and the OBU Bison Bike Tour. I’m eager to learn more flash and have been trying to learn it on my own for a few months now. I’ve made some simple animations and spent an excessive amount of time working on a thank you e-card for my birthday gifts this past summer.
I like to rid my bicyc When I’m not doing school work or doing design, I lead a relatively simple life. I like riding bikes with my roommates. You can take a bike just about anywhere you need to go in Stillwater. Our favorite restaurant is no farther away than our classes, so we ride. One of my roommates, Sean, and I built our own fixed gear bikes over the summer and we like to think we’re really cool riding them around the city. Other than bikes, we watch a lot of movies. Another roommate, Podge, is a huge film buff. His collection of DVDs is well over 500 at this point, so we’re never at a loss for a good British dark comedy or Wes Anderson classic. When we have the time, and especially the energy, we make it over to the gym for some 2-on-2. We’ve all been best friends since the 1st grade when we all met, and still going strong. I like to think we keep each other in check spiritually and morally, so it’s a great situation.
ide cle.
A Day In 9:00
10:30
11:45
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The Life. specifically December 6, 2008
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Oklahoma to Orlando. Why would someone from Stillwater, Oklahoma want to come all the way to Orlando for a summer to work for free? That’s what my parents asked me when I told them I wanted to come work for Relevant. I told them it was because I feel that by working for Relevant in whatever capacity I can, that I will be contributing to a positive Christian movement. I’ll be using my God-given talent and work ethic for a higher purpose than making ads to sell lottery tickets. That’s what I did last summer working for an agency in Oklahoma City. I want to be a part of something more helpful - more beneficial - more important. I love design and I love communicating with people. But I’d rather do it in a positive, Christian environment than in a worldly counter-productive environment. So that’s why I would rather spend my summer working two jobs in Orlando than one unfulfilling job in Oklahoma.
In case you didn’t care to make it through the whole thing and turned to the back, here’s the gist. I won’t hit you with a slew of clichés. I won’t call myself a “game-changer,” a “mover and shaker” or “a real-life Jonny Quest.” What I will say is that I’ll work hard, I’ll learn quickly, and I’ll be committed to helping RELEVANT in any way that I can.