Design students gain experience at Market
Oct. 17—HIGH POINT — Interior design students at High Point University learned more about their future profession as they worked alongside industry leaders at the fall High Point Market.
Twice each year, Market provides students with experiential learning and opportunities to network with professionals from different industries, said Meghan West, a senior from Walpole, Massachusetts, who worked in the Hooker Furnishings showroom.
"I have loved working at the Market, and I know it will be very beneficial for me when I graduate," she said. "I have made great connections with some amazing companies and individuals. It has allowed me to see and experience what my future career will look like."
Kari Lambert, a senior from Stillwater, Minnesota, worked at the Century Furniture showroom for the second time in the past year.
"The High Point Furniture Market has been an amazing experience as it has allowed me to meet and connect with so many interior designers, even some from my hometown in Minnesota," she said. "While working at Century Furniture, I am often in the fabric selection room. This has allowed me amazing insights on current styles, patterns and colors. I believe that this has given me a leg up when it comes to furthering my career, as it provided me with an understanding of the current trends. I have also learned so much about the industry and the actual day-to-day business of interior design."
Working for a third time at the High Point Market with Norwalk Furniture has been a valuable learning experience for Jade Harloff, a senior from Apex.
"I have learned so much about the professional world after college, the ins-and-outs of furniture sales," Harlott said. "This experience has done wonders for my level of confidence in terms of being prepared for my future career."
Kaylin LaFleche, a senior from Maryland who was recently elected president of HPU's new student chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers, toured designers around the Caracole and Jonathan Charles Fine Furniture showroom, answered questions about products and helped them place orders.
"I have been able to speak with designers from all over the world and pick their brains for what life after college will entail," she said. "One of the scariest parts about senior year is having the quickly approaching deadline to get a full-time job in your field or get into a graduate degree program. My anxieties are always eased when I speak to practicing designers because they reassure me that life is a journey, and you don't need to figure everything out at 22 years old."
