Clients combine design concepts from all three interior design student teams
Three teams of students in the Interior Design program at Dakota County Technical College created design concepts for a new Sensory-Friendly Study Space in the college’s Center for Student Success (CSS). The space is now open in the center, and ideas from all three teams were integrated in the final project, which was funded by an Innovation and Enhancement Grant provided by the DCTC Foundation.
Gina Atkinson
The interior design students worked with five CSS clients, Nicole Meulemans, director of student support services and student development, Heather Kleimola-Hulbert, general tutor, Anna Voight, associate director of student life and Neurodiverse Employee Resource Group (ERG) chair, Megan Petersen, TRIO/student support services advisor, and Michelle Caron, writing tutor.
The students and their interior design instructor, Gina Atkinson, who included the project as an assignment in her IDES 1207 Residential Studio I course, toured the Sensory-Friendly Study Space Monday afternoon, October 7, 2024.
Michelle Caron
“This was such an amazing opportunity for our students to achieve the satisfaction along with the personal and professional fulfillment that comes with designing a space that so positively impacts the lives and day-to-day comfort and happiness of others,” Gina said. “It’s not often interior design students get to create a design for a real client. I want to thank Heather and Michelle for the opportunity. The students gained valuable real-world experience designing the new Sensory-Friendly Study Space.”
Michelle, Heather, and Megan took part in the tour of the finished space. They were excited to share how pleased they are with how successfully the project came together.
Heather Kleimola-Hulbert
“It was rewarding to see the students who offered design suggestions come see the new space now that it is ready for student use,” Michelle said. “We used at least one idea from each group that presented, and the space turned out beautiful. Feedback from students using the space has been really positive. We hope that more students learn about and utilize the Sensory-Friendly Study Space in the Center for Student Success. Some of the features include soft lighting, sound-blocking panels, a sound machine, light-blocking curtains, fidgets, various seating options, noise-canceling headphones, and blue-light-blocking glasses, the latter available for checkout.”
“The Sensory-Friendly Study Space is a fantastic location for students to study,” Heather added. “It is great to see the design class ideas incorporated into the space and see students working in the space on a daily basis.”
Sensory-Friendly Study Space tour gallery
View more event photos by opening the DCTC Flickr album:
Sensory-Friendly Study Space Now Open in Center for Student Success
More about the Center for Student Success…
The Center for Student Success (CSS) at DCTC provides a place (and a space) with numerous services and resources to help students prepare for and succeed in their career and technical programs. Located in Room 2-101 on the college’s second level on the far west end of the campus above the Library and West Atrium, the CSS is open Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
The following are services available to students either at the CSS or via CSS staff and/or related programs:
- Computer Use/Printing
- Disability & Access Services
- D2L/Brightspace Assistance
- Sensory-Friendly Study Space
- StudyingStudy Tables
- TRIO Student Support Services (SSS)
- Tutoring
Learn more by visiting: Center for Student Success (CSS)
Learn more about the CSS Sensory-Friendly Study Space interior design student project by reading the following story on DCTC News:
“Interior Design Students Create Design Concepts for Sensory Study Space”
Learn more about the Interior Design program at DCTC by contacting:
Admissions
admissions@dctc.edu
651-423-8266
Room 2-110
More about the Interior Design program…
The award-winning Interior Design program is a challenging course of study that prepares you to launch a career in an exciting and dynamic profession. Emphasis is placed on acquiring the hands-on knowledge and skills to design functional and aesthetically engaging environments.
The curriculum is architecturally based and explores spatial design and its embellishment. All aspects of space—scale, proportion, configuration, and lighting, as well as textures, materials, and color—are studied in relation to their effect on human well-being.
Technical skills are gained in the latest computer-aided design (CAD), building information management (BIM) software, and 3D visualization and graphics. Current software includes Auto-Cad, Revit, SketchUp, 20/20, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe InDesign. Enhancing these skills allows you to produce professional presentations and construction documents.
You will work closely with other students in small groups with your instructors and industry practitioners on projects that develop in size and complexity. Service-learning and interdisciplinary projects provide real-world experience.
As a program graduate, you will have a solid technical foundation along with the skills to collaborate with fellow professionals and deliver sustainable interior environments matched to the needs of their clients. You also have options to transfer DCTC Interior Design credits to a four-year college or university.
The Interior Design program is accredited by the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA).
Awards
Interior Design A.A.S. Degree • 60 credits
On-campus delivery
Interior Design NCIDQ Pathway Certificate • 16 credits
On-campus delivery • 100 percent online delivery
LEARN MORE…
Interior Designers
Plan, design, and furnish the internal space of rooms or buildings. Design interior environments or create physical layouts that are practical, aesthetic, and conducive to the intended purposes. May specialize in a particular field, style, or phase of interior design.
Reported job titles
- Certified Kitchen Designer
- Color and Materials Designer
- Commercial Interior Designer
- Decorating Consultant
- Designer
- Interior Decorator
- Interior Design Consultant
- Interior Design Coordinator
- Interior Designer
- Registered Interior Designer
WAGES
Minnesota
Workers on average earn $63,820
10 percent of workers earn $34,540 or less
10 percent of workers earn $103,520 or more
United States
Workers on average earn $62,510
10 percent of workers earn $37,730 or less
10 percent of workers earn $101,860 or more
2023 Wage Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Visit O*NET OnLine for comprehensive information about Interior Designers on the following topics:
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