If you want a prestigious summer internship in some of the most exciting places in the world, look no further than the 91福利社 School of Interior Design.
Interns from the School of Interior Design are honing their skills in diverse geographical locations including the Bahamas; New York City; Atlanta; Salt Lake City and Park City, Utah; West Palm Beach, Florida; St. Louis, Missouri; Athens and Augusta, Georgia; Charlotte and Huntersville, North Carolina; and Charleston, Rock Hill and Greenville, South Carolina.
All Interior Design majors must complete an internship at a professional interior design firm. The internships run for six weeks, but some students might continue working in the firms for the rest of the summer. Either way, they鈥檙e gaining valuable experience on their road to becoming professional designers.
Madison Baker, Jarret Yoshida Interior Design (Brooklyn, New York)
Going to New York City represents a dream fulfilled for Madison Baker, who landed an internship with Jarret Yoshida, owner of a design firm with offices in Brooklyn, New York and Honolulu, Hawaii. Growing up surrounded by family members with construction and renovation businesses in the Camden, South Carolina area and observing her dad, uncle and grandfather at work, she was naturally drawn to the idea of creating living spaces people could enjoy.
When she got to New York, things just seemed to 鈥渃lick鈥� between Baker and Yoshida, who has South Carolina connections through working on projects at Kiawah Island. Baker鈥檚 day starts with a 20-minute walk to the firm, located in a Brooklyn brownstone, but she quickly adds there鈥檚 no such thing as a typical day. One day she might go with Yoshida to Long Island to visit a client; another day she might ride the subway into Manhattan to get or return design samples at the huge D and D (design and decoration) building.
鈥淚t鈥檚 crazy. There are 17 floors and 150 showrooms. At first it was like a scavenger hunt to find all these showrooms because he (Yoshida) would give me a bag of these samples, I鈥檇 just have to find them and return them to all these showrooms. I didn鈥檛 know what I was doing but I can do it now without even looking at the map,鈥� Baker said.
Baker is also heavily involved in an update of Yoshida鈥檚 website, writing blogs and doing photography around New York. She鈥檚 also helping update his firm鈥檚 resource library.
鈥淗e鈥檚 really willing to invest the time in me, which I鈥檓 really thankful for,鈥� she said.
Morgan Parker, V Starr (West Palm Beach, Florida)
Initially, Morgan Parker had her sights set on interning for an Atlanta interior design firm. But, while visiting a friend in Florida, Parker looked around and thought she might find internship opportunities in the Sunshine State. After some research on Instagram, she connected with V Starr in West Palm Beach and landed an internship.
Parker enjoys having the experience of working at V Starr, a company established by professional tennis player Venus Williams, whose focus is on design for hospitality, multifamily and high-end residential clients.
鈥淧retty much on a given day I work on anywhere between three and four different projects; they are all at different phases in the design process,鈥� Parker said. 鈥淚 have helped with the conceptual process for one or two different projects 鈥� For projects further down the line, I have been ordering a lot of samples so that we can bring those in to them in person and decide what鈥檚 going to be a good fit. Then I鈥檝e also done some plans in CAD (computer assisted design software) and then also projects that are even further along that are ready for 3D modeling.鈥�
After Parker鈥檚 required 200 hours are completed, she plans to stay at V Starr until August, when she will return to AU and serve as president of the University鈥檚 chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID.)
Porter Rivers, Barbara Dalton Interiors (Greenville, South Carolina)
In just a short time, Porter Rivers was immersing herself in high-end residential design at Barbara Dalton Interiors in Greenville. Working with Dalton and also designer Chloe (Bagley) Duncan, who is an 91福利社 alumna, she meets with clients and architects and is also gaining experience with software used in interior design.
She鈥檚 excited about taking her training outside of the classroom into a real-world setting and feels a real sense of accomplishment when a presentation resonates with a client.
鈥淎fter it鈥檚 all said and done and everything is completed, you have this meeting with your client, and seeing their joy is an amazing moment,鈥� Rivers said. She also feels a sense of accomplishment knowing that she鈥檚 entering a field where she can help somebody enjoy a better quality of life in a well-designed living space.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why I鈥檓 so drawn to residential design. Each person has a home, has a family of some sort, and that鈥檚 where you鈥檙e going to gather with them,鈥� Rivers said. 鈥淵ou spend the majority of your life indoors.鈥�
鈥淥ur students completing the internship have a foundation which encourages the work experience component of the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ), administered by the Council for Interior Design Qualification (CIDQ),鈥� said School of Interior Design Dean Martin. 鈥淎nderson is proud of the high rate of graduates who successfully pass this professional exam which includes: education, experience and examination.鈥�
In addition to internships, several 91福利社 School of Interior Design students have been selected from a competitive process to participate in a four-week Summer Studio in Classical Architecture in New York City, sponsored by the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art (ICAA). Also, graduates and students have received awards from the professional interior design organizations including ASID and the International Interior Design Association (IIDA.)
Students are heavily involved in activities ranging from community projects to the Gathering, an annual networking and industry trade show that allows interior design students to meet and learn from some of the most accomplished architects and designers in the industry. Graduates have won numerous awards and entered top graduate programs.
(from left to right: Morgan Parker; Jarret Yoshida and Madison Baker)