Creative Director/Principal of Foreign Policy Design Group and total legend/boss lady Yah-Leng Yu is up to amazing things! Having impact on the design scene globally, we're loving what Foreign Policy is bringing to the table. Check out wat Yah-Leng has to share about internships and a few of her top design crushes right now (we love them too!)
Where did you study and what were some of your first jobs?
I went to the Art Institute of Boston (now Lesley University)
Give us the elevator pitch on what you do.
We are a design and innovation bureau — a creative think tank of artists, analysts, strategists and makers bringing the best of their expertise, experience and intuition to define and solve problems in unexpected ways.
Who are your top six design crushes right now?
Whats your take on internships? (do you take interns now?)
Internships are super important for any student-designers or young designers to have a taste of what it is really like in a forever work-in-progress real-life design studio — which is fast-paced and intense, demanding and requires someone to learn very quickly on their feet. We will try to guide them and give them as much exposure as possible while on training wheels. Yes we do have a interns usually for a 3–6 months period at a time.
What do you look for in a great client?
Someone who is visionary, who is open to take some risks, who respect design and who trusts us do our work.
What qualities and skills to you look for in a graduate?
Passion and hunger to do good work.
Humility to learn from others.
Common sense.
