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Pacific portfolio helps student land DreamWorks internship
With a professional portfolio comprised of samples from his classes and work he created for the university’s student government association, Pacific student Ethan Fontes ’25 landed a highly-coveted internship at DreamWorks—an animation studio known for hit movies such as “Shrek” and “Madagascar.”
As a creative services marketing intern, Fontes helped promote some of the studio’s most popular animated shows.
“I get to do things I learned in college—graphic design and marketing—while working on big name productions,” Fontes said. Some of the productions he worked on include "Gabby’s Dollhouse," "Bad Guys 2" and the "Jurassic World" series.
The graphic design major also revised key art, which required him to review posters, video thumbnails and other promotional graphics to ensure they are up to the company’s standards. He worked with trailer editors to ensure the right content has been chosen to convey the story and helps created social media posts.
Despite the full workload, Fontes said he felt well prepared for the opportunity.
“Working at ASUOP was a fast-paced job,” Fontes said. “I thought working at DreamWorks was going to be the same. I definitely feel like I pushed myself hard in and out of class. It prepared me well because I feel it’s actually little bit slower here.”
At Pacific, Fontes put his efforts into more than just his classwork. He attended networking events on and off campus to build connections and said yes to as many projects as he could. His mentors also provided crucial guidance.
Fontes said his coursework with Associate Professor Marie Lee, chair of the Department of Art, Media, Performance and Design and Professor Brett Deboer, who has since retired, helped him hone his skills in graphic design. Studying the basics such as typography and layouts was integral to his professional development and Lee’s branding class prepared him to work with companies on product designs.
“Those classes helped strengthen me in the areas I needed,” he said. “Graphic design was something I liked to do on the side before I started school. Now it’s something I’m passionate about doing and want to do as a profession.”
Fontes said learning to receive criticism at Pacific was vital for succeeding in the professional world, and that he values the ability to give constructive feedback. This skill is especially important in his current position at DreamWorks, he said, where he reviews a wide range of marketing materials.
Another perk of the internship—Fontes was able to watch projects that haven’t been announced to the public yet.
“I know I want to work in TV, music or sports. It would be really cool to work for Disney, stay with DreamWorks or work for a big label,” Fontes said. “There’s a lot of possibilities in bringing that mixture of marketing and design to any entertainment role.”
Resources are available throughout the year for students interested in landing their own internship. Career Services provides guidance on resumes, cover letters and interview preparation at their office located in the McCaffrey Center.
They also host the Career Expo every February, bringing in employers throughout the region who are hiring for internships, co-ops and full-time positions. The annual event was expanded in spring 2025 to accommodate a growing number of employers and students.
