Montreat College senior Nick Abramov spent his summer combining faith, creativity, and technology through a UI/UX design internship with YouVersion, the ministry behind the Bible App. Originally from Ukraine, Abramov moved to the United States in 2021 and is studying Visual Communication and Experience Design (VCXD) at Montreat. He was drawn to the College because of its integration of faith into daily life and to the VCXD program because it allowed him to pursue a longtime interest in art and graphic design. As a member of the program’s first cohort, Abramov has also had the opportunity to provide feedback and help shape a new major.
Abramov first learned about YouVersion’s internship program through a friend who encouraged him to apply. As a longtime Bible App user, he was excited by the opportunity to contribute to YouVersion’s mission of helping people engage with Scripture. After a rigorous application and interview process, Abramov was selected and moved to Oklahoma for the summer. During the internship, he worked on projects for Bible.com, explored designs for Bible Plans in the Bible App, and helped design an audio Bible experience for Android Auto. One of his favorite projects was the Android Auto experience, which challenged him to research in-car interfaces and think carefully about how users could accomplish tasks with as few actions as possible.
The internship also gave Abramov a deeper understanding of the complexity behind user experience design. While exploring a new layout for the Plans tab in the Bible App, he quickly developed an initial concept, then spent two weeks considering how it would work for users across a variety of situations.
“My team pushed me to explore deeper and deeper into those problems and come up with the best solutions,” he said. Because YouVersion serves people of different ages, cultures, and languages around the world, Abramov learned the importance of beginning each design project by understanding the people who will use it. His own background also became an asset. As a speaker of Ukrainian, Russian, and English, Abramov was able to test designs in multiple languages and consider the experience of users who aren’t native English speakers.
Research and user data played an important role in his work as well. On one Bible.com video page, Abramov’s team found that users lacked a clear way to continue from one video to the next. After redesigning the page and adding a card displaying the full video collection, the bounce rate decreased by 8 percent and time spent on the page increased by 63 percent.
Abramov said his Montreat classes prepared him for this type of work by teaching him to understand design principles and, just as importantly, articulate the “why” behind his decisions. He also discovered how essential collaboration is in professional design. “Working in isolation might get you somewhere,” he said, “but working in a team will get you further.”
For Abramov, the internship was especially meaningful because YouVersion brings together technology and Christian ministry. He said the organization’s work continually returns to its mission of reaching people with Scripture rather than focusing only on numbers, downloads, or technology. That perspective reflects the type of designer Abramov hopes to become. “For me, the idea behind the design is even more important than the design itself,” he said. “I want to design for a good reason, and glorify God through that.”
The experience has also given Abramov a clearer vision for life after graduation. He hopes to pursue product design or UI/UX design, where he can combine his background in graphic design, animation, coding, and problem-solving. He also plans to continue exploring how artificial intelligence can support the design process. Abramov credits Montreat’s VCXD program with giving him the confidence, skills, and portfolio needed to pursue an opportunity like YouVersion; during his internship interview, he was even asked to present a project he had completed in a Montreat UI/UX class. His advice to other students is simple: find people who share your interests, build a team, and start creating. “Designing something you’re excited about is a good start to learning the principles of design,” he said.
Students interested in finding an internship can connect with Montreat College’s Thrive Center, which helps them locate and apply for internships, explore career opportunities, strengthen their resumes, and prepare for life after college. Students can speak with Denisha Bonds, Director of Career Development, or 828.419.2107. The Thrive Center is located on the first floor of Bell Library and is available to help students take the next step toward meaningful professional opportunities.