Hi there! I’m Allison, a fourth-year student studying Industrial Design at the University of Cincinnati and currently a Product Design Co-op working on Hasbro’s preschool brands. I’m passionate about toy design because I want to play a part in bringing joy to children all over the world. I know how much joy Hasbro’s toys and games brought me when I was a kid (and still today), so I was ecstatic to be hired at Hasbro. This internship presented an opportunity to learn from an expert in the toy design industry that shares my passion for making the world a better place for all children and all families.

I soon learned that my co-op at Hasbro would be remote due to Covid-19. As much as I had been looking forward to seeing a giant Mr. Potato Head on my first day at Hasbro in Pawtucket, I was just so grateful for Hasbro’s continuing support for their intern program and my opportunity to be a part of it. Coming in, I had a lot of questions about how a virtual co-op would work, but this experience has far exceeded my expectations! The preschool design team was incredibly welcoming to me and the other two co-ops on my team. The most challenging part of working from home is that I won’t get to meet my teammates in person. However, I was able to talk to them on a regular basis, bounce ideas off them during brainstorms, and even chat about our new hobbies and lifestyles during quarantine.

I honestly did not know what to expect when I joined the team my first week. During my first meeting with my manager, we discussed what I wanted to learn during this experience and how we could accomplish that. That was really my first taste of Hasbro’s amazing company culture. Hasbro understands that making great toys and games starts with giving people an environment in which they can be at their best and contribute their best ideas. I was constantly encouraged to speak up whenever I had an idea and to explore it further.

One of my favorite parts of working at Hasbro was actually a surprise during my first week. I was originally hired to work on the preschool brands Playskool and Mr. Potato Head. However, I was also given the opportunity to work on the PJ Masks brand, so I’ve had a lot of exposure to how the relationship between entertainment creators and toy designers’ functions. I learned how to translate the magic moments that kids love from their favorite tv shows into toys that they’ll love to play with!

I’ve learned two big things throughout this experience: great ideas can come from anywhere, and you should never be afraid to speak up. If I were to give advice to new Hasbro interns, I would say don’t be afraid to make your ideas heard! You have a fresh perspective, and there is a lot of value in that. Ask tons of questions to learn as much as you can and have fun!

Allison Linkugel

University of Cincinnati