In Summer 2024, I joined the Downtown Surrey Business Improvement Association (DSBIA) as the sole Graphic and Web Designer on a multidisciplinary student team. While others specialized in community engagement, social media, safety, and event planning, I was responsible for the design and production of nearly all visual materials—from large-scale guidebooks to websites and branding support for small businesses.

Guidebooks

Restaurant Guide 2024

One of my first and favourite projects was designing the BIA’s annual Restaurant Guide. Working closely with our content lead, I ensured all restaurant listings were accurate and visually engaging. The layout evolved over the course of the summer as I fine-tuned spacing, colour, and hierarchy for readability.

Care Companion 2024 (Medical Guide)

I also created the BIA’s first-ever medical guide, the Care Companion, in collaboration with colleagues who sourced all the business data. On our final print deadline, I encountered a serious file corruption issue. I ended up rebuilding the entire project in InDesign—in under 3 hours. It was stressful, but it taught me how to stay calm under pressure and prioritize key layout decisions on a tight timeline.

ACM Accessibility Pamphlet

Making civic participation more accessible was an especially meaningful part of my role. I designed a pamphlet for All-Candidates Meetings to help all community members engage in the democratic process.

Event Design

Movies Under the Stars

For the BIA’s biggest event of the year, Movie Under the Stars, I developed a full suite of promotional materials to generate excitement and inform the community. This included large-format vinyl posters for outdoor visibility, printed handouts to distribute at local events, and a campaign ad that ran in the Surrey Now-Leader newspaper. Each piece was designed to reflect the friendly and welcoming tone of the event while staying true to the BIA’s branding.

Downtown Surrey Fest

For Surrey Fest, I created a diverse range of assets to support both promotion and day-of logistics. These included A4-sized flyers posted in community hubs like libraries and local businesses, large signage displaying the event schedule and sponsor recognition, and bright digital ads featured on screen displays inside the mall. A print advertisement also ran in the Surrey Now-Leader, tying the whole campaign together with consistent design.

Community Events

I also designed promotional materials for smaller community-focused events, including a flyer for the Stamp Hunt and one for the Grosvenor Road Greenspace Meet-Up. The goal was to bring residents together and create a stronger sense of place.

The Stamp Hunt flyer encouraged locals to visit participating businesses, complete mini-challenges, and collect stamps for a chance to win prizes. It was designed to be fun, approachable, and easy to follow. The stamp book I made for this was one of the most creative and fun things I designed that summer.

The Greenspace Meet-Up flyer invited people to share their ideas for revitalizing the area. The event featured pizza, games, and community feedback boards. My flyer helped communicate a sense of warmth, playfulness, and local care—key to getting neighbors involved in shaping the future of this shared space.

Supporting Local Businesses

Umami Ramen

For a ramen restaurant, I designed a cohesive set of branded materials, including loyalty cards, small acrylic table signs for in-store promotion, and a series of social media graphics. These assets helped establish a more consistent and professional identity across both physical and digital spaces.

Raunak Indian Cuisine

I also worked with an restaurant called Raunak Indian Cuisine. The restaurant’s website was hosted on WordPress, where I made targeted updates to improve both visual consistency and readability across pages. This included refining the typography, spacing, and color palette to align more closely with the restaurant’s existing brand.

In addition to these adjustments, I designed and built two entirely new pages dedicated to their catering and tiffin service offerings. These pages helped clearly communicate service details and gave the business a more polished, professional online presence.

David Pel Accounting

I conducted a branding survey to help an accounting firm reimagine its identity for a future rebrand. Survey insights showed a preference for cooler blue tones, aligning with industry standards and their desired attributes (e.g., trust, professionalism).

Reflection

My summer at the DSBIA was one of the most rewarding experiences of my design journey so far. Being the only designer on a large team pushed me to take initiative, communicate clearly, and manage multiple deliverables across print and digital. I learned how to work independently, but also how to collaborate effectively within a team. I left the internship more confident in my skills—and excited for what’s next.