Interior design student applauds USU's 'No. 1' program

PUTTING IT TOGETHER: Jessie Lambourne working in the juniors' studio on her latest project. / Photo by Megan Wiseman

By Megan Wiseman

November 25, 2008 | After spending hundreds of hours on each project USU interior design junior, Jessie Lambourne, says that it takes "an intense passion to stick with such a hard program."

Lambourne says she spends on average four hours in the interior design studio outside of class each day.

"It takes mass amounts of time just to complete one project," says Lambourne. "With four or five major projects a year, most of my life is focused on interior design."

Putting in the hard work is worth it, said Lambourne. Utah State has the number one interior design program in Utah. Being the only accredited school by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation , USU has a very competitive program. Other universities in Utah either don't meet the accreditation standards but most are trying to improve their program to one day be accredited.

Lambourne said it's important to get your degree at an accredited school because outside of Utah you cannot own your own interior design business without having a license from an accredited program. Because of the accreditation combined with lots of hands-on experience of USU's program, Lambourne said that any student would have excellent chances of being lined up with internships once they graduate.

"Our program has great relations between professors and students," said Lambourne. "We have small classes so we get to build closer relationships with our professors which are really helpful when you're working on a difficult project."

Eventually the hard work pays off through the form of contests, prizes and future job opportunities she said. The most recent competition that Lambourne entered was the Planning and Visual Education Partnership design competition, in which she had to create a promotional fragrance boutique for Macys' in which one of Utah State's junior's studio class received an honorable mention.

"We have a great program," said Lambourne. "It's not easy, but if you work your butt off and don't lose track of why you are working so hard, you won't regret it."

Lambourne said that she has wanted to be an interior designer for as long as she can remember. At her 7th grade career she took a future jobs quiz and her results had interior designer as the number one job to fit her personality.

"Since the day I found out that designing houses and décor was a real job, that's what I knew I was going to do," said Lambourne.

One of the final drawings Lambourne turned in for the PAVE design competition.

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