Pre-Graduate Student Profiles
Klaudia White
Candidate, MA Interior Design
Pre-Graduate Program 2006
Undergraduate Degree: University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Communication
Prior Professional Background: Banking
After obtaining my BA, I worked in the banking industry for seven years. I have always been a creative person, but had considered art to be just a hobby, not something I could actually do for a living. I finally decided that I wanted a career that would be creatively enriching and rewarding. Being the daughter of a contractor and great wood worker, I have always been interested in interior architecture and design, so I decided to go forward with my career change and started researching schools on the east coast.
I was looking for a CIDA accredited school in Massachusetts and that’s when I found Suffolk. I was interested in the Pre-Graduate Program, because my degree was in an unrelated field, and I knew much of my undergraduate coursework wasn’t applicable to the preparatory classes required for graduate study in interior design. The summer Pre-Graduate Program though was a way for me to get that training over a short period of time, so that I could be ready for the Master’s Program. Taking four courses in ten-weeks made me appreciate the intensity of the interior design program. I feel that it really prepared me for my first semester of graduate school and gave me an advantage over those who had not gone through the Pre-Graduate Program, or as we all called it “Art School Boot Camp.”
Tricia Luong
Candidate, MA Interior Design
Pre-Graduate Program 2007
Undergraduate Degree: University of Maryland, College Park, Political Science
Prior Professional Background: Political Science
Pursuing a career in interior design was something I had wanted to do for quite some time, but I was hesitant because the contrast between my career in political science and a career in interior design was so great. Making the transition was quite a challenge.
The Pre-Graduate program was the right decision, because it enabled me to begin my studies immediately. Taking a semester’s worth of classes in the summer allowed me to get started on the studio coursework before I was fully admitted as a graduate student. Through the intensity of the summer session, I learned to manage my time efficiently, which was good preparation for entering the program in the fall. I envision that when I finish my degree, I’ll be working for an interior design or architectural firm doing commercial design, probably for the hospitality industry.