Summer 2026 Graphic Design Internship

Wilmington, NC | May–August (flexible) | 300 hours, Paid

If you're a creative thinker who loves storytelling, social media, and making content that actually gets seen, this internship is for you. Spend your summer with Lower Cape Fear LifeCare, where you’ll get real hands‑on marketing experience—while helping support a mission‑driven organization that makes a meaningful difference in our community.

This paid internship is perfect for students looking to grow their skills, build a portfolio, and get exposure to everything from social media to video to branding.

Position Overview

The Graphic Design Intern works under the supervision of the Creative Project Manager to support both print and digital design initiatives for Lower Cape Fear LifeCare. This paid summer internship provides hands-on experience in nonprofit marketing, with a strong emphasis on layout, branding, print production, and foundational digital and presentation design.

The intern will assist with a variety of projects supporting internal and external communications, gaining exposure to professional design workflows, production methods, and brand consistency across print, digital, and presentation platforms. In addition to print and layout projects, the intern will support select digital and social design needs, collaborating closely with the Marketing & Communications team to bring campaigns, stories, and content to life visually.

One of the key projects during the internship will include contributing to the redesign of the 12-month Bereavement Newsletter, along with supporting other ongoing design and marketing needs.

Key Projects & Responsibilities

The Graphic Design Intern will assist with a range of design projects, including but not limited to:

Print & Production Design

• Redesigning and updating the 12-month Bereavement Newsletter
  • Reviewing existing layouts and content
  • Assisting with layout redesign and visual improvements
  • Applying brand standards, typography, and visual hierarchy
  • Preparing print-ready and digital versions
• Assisting in building and maintaining a marketing literature library, including version control and consistency across materials
• Helping update and revise forms, brochures, and other marketing literature
• Resizing advertisements for printed publications and digital placements
• Supporting the preparation of print-ready materials, including learning best practices for bleeds, specs, and file setup
• Gaining exposure to working with commercial printers, including understanding production requirements and timelines
• Supporting layout and production of materials such as flyers, posters, ads, reports, newsletters, and informational pieces

Digital, Social & Marketing Design Support

• Assisting with the creation of visual assets for social media, including static graphics, simple animations, and branded templates
• Supporting short-form video needs by creating basic graphics, titles, thumbnails, and light video edits when needed
• Collaborating with the marketing team on visual support for campaigns, events, and seasonal content
• Assisting with updating or creating simple website graphics and content visuals in WordPress under guidance
• Helping ensure visual consistency across print, web, email, and social platforms

Presentation & Asset Management

• Assisting with the design and update of PowerPoint presentations for internal and external use
  • Applying brand standards, typography, and visual hierarchy
  • Cleaning up layouts, aligning content, and improving visual consistency
  • Supporting presentation needs for meetings, education, and fundraising efforts
• Organizing and managing design files, templates, and brand assets
• Supporting project schedules, revisions, and deadlines

Required Qualifications

• Currently pursuing or recently completed a degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, or a related field
• Proficiency in Adobe InDesign (required)
• Understanding of layout, typography, and design fundamentals
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
• Ability to follow direction and apply feedback effectively
• Reliable, organized, and able to manage multiple tasks and deadlines
• Comfort working across both print and digital formats, including social and web-based design assets

Preferred (Not Required)

• Experience with Adobe Illustrator and/or Adobe Photoshop
• Familiarity with both print and digital design
• Basic proficiency in Microsoft PowerPoint, with an understanding of slide layout, visual hierarchy, and brand consistency
• Introductory experience with video editing tools such as Adobe Premiere Pro or similar
• Familiarity with WordPress or web content systems from a visual or layout standpoint
• Interest in nonprofit, healthcare, or mission-driven work

Learning Objectives

By the end of the summer internship, the Graphic Design Intern will be able to:

• Apply organizational brand standards across print, digital, and presentation materials
• Contribute to the redesign of a multi-issue publication as part of a professional creative workflow
• Demonstrate effective layout, typography, and visual hierarchy
• Prepare professional, print-ready files for commercial production
• Understand the fundamentals of working with commercial printers
• Support visual storytelling across social, web, and digital campaigns
• Assist with basic digital design assets for marketing and communications
• Collaborate with marketing and communications professionals in a cross-functional environment
• Manage design revisions across multiple projects and deadlines
• Organize and maintain marketing materials and design assets
• Produce portfolio-ready work reflecting real-world nonprofit design experience

What the Intern Will Gain

• Paid, hands-on summer internship experience
• Exposure to print, digital, social, and presentation design projects
• A strong foundation in print production and layout
• Professional mentorship from the Creative Project Manager
• Portfolio-quality work completed in a real organizational setting
• Experience contributing to mission-driven communications