Canva AI Design – Data Storytelling & AI Workflows Externship for Community College Students

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Transform raw data into stunning, AI-powered visual stories with Canva — and learn how to inspire decisions across business, education, and nonprofit sectors.

Overview

In this externship program, students will learn strategic consulting skills to analyze and evaluate challenges from non-profit organizations using consulting frameworks, in an overall effort to help them solve their important problems. Selected individuals will be paired with a specific non-profit organization and dive into their strategic problems, such as development, impact assessment, process improvements, talent engagement, communication, and strategic positioning. Throughout this externship program, professionals from PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) will provide mentorship and coaching.

The Experience

Learn about the strategy consulting process and how to help create value for a non-profit client based on their vision and mission
Research and develop an understanding of a given field
Analyze complex problems ranging from fundraising and development, stakeholder management, impact measurement, as well as use consulting frameworks to help identify problem areas and propose solutions
Learn to gather, analyze, and visualize data to inform problem areas and possible solutions
Create and deliver a compelling presentation to a non-profit client that incorporates valuable insights, trends, and recommendations

Qualifications

Ambitious undergraduate students with an interest in consulting, strategy, and non-profits. This program is for students who would like to understand the consulting profession while generating ideas to help impact non-profit organizations.

Overview

In this externship, Community College students will learn to transform raw data into engaging, presentation-ready visual stories that inspire action and influence decisions across industries. Using Canva’s Magic Studio and Flourish integrations, externs will design reusable AI-powered templates that turn complex datasets into beautiful, interactive presentations.

Through hands-on projects, externs will:

Translate business challenges into clear visual stories using metaphors and design principles
Build static data stories in Canva to highlight 3–5 key insights for defined audiences
Create interactive dashboards in Flourish and embed them seamlessly into Canva presentations
Pitch AI-enhanced design solutions to real-world challenges in marketing, education, sustainability, and nonprofit sectors

By the end of the externship, externs will publish a professional-grade Canva template and present it at the Canva AI Design Challenge Showcase, mirroring how Canva’s enterprise teams create and scale content for global clients.

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Skills You'll Build

Hard Skills
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Data storytelling & visualization
AI-powered design with Canva Magic Studio
Flourish dashboard creation & embedding
Presentation and slide design strategy
Template architecture for enterprise use

Soft Skills

Audience empathy & business communication
Structured problem-solving & critical thinking
Persuasive storytelling & pitching
Collaboration and peer review
Adaptability in design workflows

What You'll Gain

A portfolio of professional deliverables (visual stories, static reports, interactive dashboards, Canva templates) to showcase design and storytelling skills
Hands-on experience with AI-driven workflows that are reshaping enterprise communication and marketing
Exposure to real-world business challenges in multiple industries (marketing, education, sustainability, nonprofit)
The chance to have your work showcased publicly, giving visibility to both peers and professionals
Transferable skills for careers in design, consulting, product, marketing, and data-driven storytelling

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