Interior design project to help students unable to find internships
March 18, 2009 by SHANESSA FAKOUR
Filed under News
The University interior design program is planning to create a service-learning project for its students who are unable to land internships in a down economy to meet their degree requirements.
To graduate from the interior design program, undergraduate students must either secure an internship where they may gain real-world experience or participate in a residential study abroad program.
The stressed economy has forced many businesses to turn away University interior design students seeking to intern this summer.
In response, the interior design program is planning to work with students who are not successful in their internship search by creating a service-learning project that is community based, said Thom Houser, associate director interior design chair, in a phone interview March 6.
“We would not hold anyone back because of an internship necessarily if we felt an honest effort was being made,” Houser said.
The service-learning project will provide the same type of education a student would receive as an intern and would be run by faculty members who have worked professionally as interior designers, Houser said.
The down economy has not deterred some interior design students from searching for internships.
“A lot of the businesses that we’ve been talking to have said they’re not going to take on interns this summer, or [that] they’re going to wait until April or May to make that decision,” said Kim Hicks, a junior from Snellville. “I think a lot of the businesses are struggling to keep their permanent workers on and trying to justify temporary workers is hard. They don’t have the money to pay for a paid internship or not enough work to take on an unpaid one.”
Hicks began her search with the hope of being paid because she said she is unable to work during the semester. But now, she said, she would be happy to take on an unpaid internship.
Another student said the program may make an exception for her by qualifying her time employed at Hogan’s Builders, a general contracting company, as internship hours.
“I am kind of in a weird position because I already have a job in Athens as an interior designer, but [the company is] not certified for interior design, so it doesn’t count,” said Kelley Myers, a junior from Peachtree City.
Myers plans to continue to work at Hogan’s Builders over the summer and said she has stopped her internship search.
“People have pretty much said they don’t have work this summer,” she said.
The interior design program graduates about 35 students each year, Houser said. Out of the current group of graduates, 15 are studying abroad in Cortona, Italy, and three are studying in Florence.
“Students have received very good internships this summer,” Houser said. “Not everyone has received one, but some come in at the last minute, and they may be the best ones. At this point we’re looking at options. We’re not in the panic mode.”
