by Jill DeMarotta
This summer, six Brenau University interior design majors interned at professional interior design firms across the greater Atlanta area, working at least 180 hours with their respective firms.
The internships were a great way for the students to observe professional practices in a particular design specialization, including residential, hospitality, commercial, retail and health care, among others. The internships also gave students a chance to work in their chosen areas for a short time without committing to a firm for full-time employment.
For some students, the internships solidified the area of design that they are pursuing. For others, the internships were a chance to realize that they would prefer to move in a different direction. Many students decide to pursue multiple internships in an effort to be exposed to firms of different types and sizes.
The firms where the students interned included Design Directions International in Marietta, Gilstrap Edwards Interiors in Atlanta, White Dog Home in Gainesville, Ms. Design Studio (student worked remotely from home from the Miami location), Bradley Odom Interiors in Atlanta and Closet Factory in Norcross. Four of the six students are continuing to work part-time with their respective firms while they finish their senior year coursework.
Senior Aisa Goforth interned with White Dog Home, which specializes in residential design in addition to hospitality and home-staging projects.
“It is a locally owned small business, so by working closely with the owner, I was able to see the ins and outs of what it’s like to be self-employed,” Goforth said.
“I was able to see how the economy and other external factors can influence business choices. Since I’ve started working with White Dog Home, the owner has partnered with a local furniture store, started the process of setting up an online shop for gently used furniture and unique finds, and started a travel blog on the side. It was really great to be a part of that process.”
