Where did you do your undergrad? What did you study?
I attended the Art Institute of Philadelphia where I studied Interior Design.
Did you work in your field between undergrad and grad school?
Sure did! I worked for about 3.5 years as an interior designer before deciding to go back to school. During those 3.5 years I worked at two different firms in the Philadelphia area, mostly on large corporate office design jobs.
Why did textiles appeal to you?
While working as an interior designer I was fortunate enough to gain exposure to many aspects of the textile industry. We would have textile designers come in and give presentations on new collections they had designed. After leaving every one of those presentations I would think to myself, "Now that's what I want to be doing!". I also was able to visit a few carpet mills in Georgia where I was able to see the entire process; fiber extrusion, weaving, applying the backing and then cutting the tiles down to their specified size. Being exposed to the process of design and then seeing that design manufactured is what truly drew me to textiles.
What about Thomas Jefferson University drew you in?
Once I realized I wanted to attend graduate school for textiles, Thomas Jefferson University was a no brainer. The location was perfect, since I live locally, and the reputation of the textile program speaks for itself!
What aspect of Jefferson's curriculum most interested you and why?
Jefferson's textile curriculum is very well balanced between creative and technical, fully preparing its graduates to enter the industry upon graduating. What is most important to me as a graduate student is being able to make connections with the other students and faculty at Jefferson. The faculty and students at Jefferson are a wealth of knowledge, and I hope to be able to maintain these relationships for years to come.
How do you hope studying at Thomas Jefferson University will help you to further your goals as a designer?
The decision to attend graduate school for textiles was a career change for me. Prior to starting school at Jefferson I had never woven a thing! However after being in the textile program for 2 years now, I feel as though I have found the right career that fully taps into my creative potential.
What discipline do you hope to pursue once you leave Jefferson?
That is a really good question! At the moment my long term goal after school is to be able to have my own design practice. I am interested in working in the fashion and interior industries, as well as collaborating with Industrial designers. While getting to work as an interior designer I learned that I enjoy working with teams of people, where everyone can bring their expertise to the table in order to produce an exceptional product for the client.
