Anna Blessinger

Majors: Industrial Design 

Team Sports Design Intern, Wilson Sporting Goods 

1.) How did you learn about this internship opportunity? 

 I learned about this internship opportunity through a classmate who had an internship with
Wilson Sporting Goods the previous year. She was returning to her position this summer and
encouraged me to apply to a role within a similar department. I found the internship posting
through LinkedIn and applied directly to the position.

2.) How has your internship helped build your skills and clarify your career goals?  How do you apply your Liberal Arts skills to your internship?  

 My internship at Wilson Sporting Goods has been incredibly beneficial in developing both my
technical and professional skills. Working on various new projects in Team Sports has opened
my eyes to the creativity and innovation in this field of work. Through Wilson, I have learned so
much about sporting goods product design, the research behind the products, and how to
translate conceptual ideas into detailed 3D models, which is a critical skill in Industrial Design.
Throughout my time at Purdue, I have explored various fields of work in Industrial Design, but
Wilson has solidified that my passion lies in sport and active design. We are highly encouraged
to test our products, which means getting on a court or field and actually using the product.
There are not many places where you can play basketball, tennis, and golf in one facility, but
Wilson offers the opportunity to be active at any time of day. I love that I am able to help create
products that people interact with daily. The feedback loop of designing, prototyping, and
refining has been very fulfilling, and I see myself pursuing a career where I can continue to
innovate these amazing products.

Being a Liberal Arts student at Purdue has provided me with a unique perspective and a
well-rounded skill set that has been advantageous during my internship. My Liberal Arts
education has honed my critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, which are essential in the
design process. Additionally, my Industrial Design courses have given me insights into user
experience and consumer behavior, allowing me to design products that are not only functional
but also appealing and user-friendly.

My background in Liberal Arts has equipped me with strong communication skills, enabling me
to effectively collaborate with my team and present my ideas clearly. This interdisciplinary
approach has been invaluable in creating new products that meet the technical requirements
while also resonating with our target audience.

3.) What is a piece of advice you would give someone in your major looking for an internship?   

I would advise others to keep a very open mind about the fields they are applying to, because
you never know how impactful that internship may be in career development. Before my
internship at Wilson, I had not considered sporting goods design, but that leap of faith in
accepting the internship offer has provided me with so many amazing opportunities and has
significantly shaped the course of my career.

4.) What specific responsibilities have you undertaken during your internship?

During the course of my internship I have been tasked with 4 projects. My primary project
consists of creating a new NCAA professional soccer match ball. I have worked with aerospace
engineers for aerodynamics and flight stability, material science engineers for internal
construction, industrial designers for paneling design, and graphic designers for visuals. This
project has exposed me to the full process of designing a new product from scratch and I am
grateful I have been given the opportunity to help innovate the current soccer match ball. I have
also been tasked with creating volleyball shoe designs, as Wilson has been expanding their
shoe line. I absolutely love the creative freedom and exploration behind this project and I cannot
wait to see how these designs will help Wilson with product line development. Alongside this
project, I have created volleyball knee pads with an extended leg sleeve for compression as part
of a product family with padded arm sleeves. Finally, I have assisted in concept development for
a new children’s line of products. We have worked on storyboarding, character development,
and experiential design.

5.) In what ways has the College of Liberal Arts at Purdue University supported your internship journey? How has your participation in our job-ready program specifically aided your professional development? 

The broad curriculum of CLA has provided me with a well-rounded education, equipping me
with knowledge and skills from various disciplines. This has allowed me to approach design
challenges from multiple perspectives. Similarly,courses focused on critical thinking and
problem-solving have honed my ability to analyze problems thoroughly and develop innovative
solutions, which is essential in industrial design and my internship journey.

The Job-Ready program has given me the opportunity to grow in my professional development
by providing an amazing network of program alumni. This program has allowed me to enjoy my
summer and fully experience my internship, alleviating the stress of finances. Because of
Job-Ready, I feel prepared for the next steps of my career and I have a wonderful network of
individuals who I can communicate with to achieve new goals.

6.) Could you highlight a standout aspect of your experience in this program that you find particularly noteworthy? 

 I absolutely love that when an individual accepts the Job-Ready award, they get the opportunity
to share it on social media. Watching each intern’s daily life provides such great exposure to
new fields and what is possible with a Liberal Arts degree. I am in awe of how diverse
everyone’s internships are and it is very interesting to see what other Liberal Arts students are
working on this summer. Watching fellow Purdue students achieve their professional goals
makes me very proud to be a Boilermaker and a Liberal Arts student.