As an instructor of Interior Architecture + Design, it is my intent that students will leave my classroom with the knowledge and skills to alter the built environment in a positive and impactful way. While I feel that it is imperative to instill technical knowledge in students, I feel even more strongly that experiential learning is critical to students’ education, especially engaging with the local community, professionals, and organizations in need. As I have integrated these components, specifically service-learning into my courses, I have found that the learning experience is richer and students gain a greater understanding of the impact they can make as designers.

Regardless of the course topic, environmental sustainability and inclusive design are subjects that I weave into the class, incorporating my own research and that of others into the course content. I empower students to make environmental responsibility a priority in their projects and to be mindful of the variety of individuals who may be affected by their design decisions. In order for students to best understand these methods, I incorporate site visits, professional guest speakers, and engagement with individuals with disabilities or different backgrounds into my courses. These interactions ensure that I am not the sole source of information for the students, and these experiences reinforce the material I have shared in the classroom. I use combined methods of lecture, discussion, experiential activities, challenging projects, and community engagement to appeal to students’ different modes of learning and to prepare them for the dynamic setting of the design profession.