UC design student spins a dream co-op

“To work in the music industry has always been my goal,” Namyar says. “To earn an internship with Sony felt like a real milestone.”

Namyar, a master’s degree design student in the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning, interned for Columbia Records, an American flagship recording label that operates under Sony Music Entertainment.

As a UC co-op ambassador, Namyar also took part in networking events while in New York City, including The Recording Academy gatherings through GRAMMY U, a professional development and networking arm of the academy designed specifically for students.

Outside of his day-to-day role, he connected with fellow interns and even collaborated on creative projects. “I met so many new friends, and people even called me the ‘intern president’ because I liked organizing meetups for the intern cohort. It was such a valuable experience.”

The biggest benefit of co-op at UC, he says, is the opportunity to experience the workforce before graduation and develop skills beyond the classroom, “working with real clients in my desired field,” he says.

Namyar “has that special ‘it’ factor that can’t be manufactured,” Kaplan says. “He made a huge impression on the whole staff. He puts so much work and heart into everything he does. The world is truly a better and more interesting place when Nick is around.”

Toward the end of the term, Namyar was one of 10 Sony interns invited to present at the company’s final showcase. His talk, “Music Videos Are Not Dead,” explored how the format continues to evolve and how production budgets can be maximized for impact.

“It almost felt like home by the end,” he said of his summer in Manhattan.

Namyar’s success reflects UC’s long-standing tradition of cooperative education. Founded at UC in 1906, the co-op model continues to be a cornerstone of experiential learning. Today, UC’s program is ranked among the No. 4 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.

Back on campus, Namyar’s now turning those insights into his thesis, “Designing Fan-Driven Visual Branding Systems for Emerging Musicians,” which engages fellow design students in developing branding systems for local artists.

“The program has taught me how to approach design with strategy and research,” Namyar says. “My goal is to be a creative director — someone who can guide artists in shaping their visual brands through design, videography and storytelling.”

Set to graduate in May 2026, Namyar is already positioning himself for the next step — and credits UC’s co-op system for making opportunities like Columbia Records possible.

“This was truly a dream internship come true,” he says.

Featured photo at top provided by Nicholas Namyar.