Hands-On Experience at Payette

I started my internship in the Interiors department at Payette in September and somehow, we have made it to December already! Wentworth Institute of Technology’s Interior Design program requires students to gain experience in the fields we are studying, which meant nothing to me when touring colleges as a high school student. On my last day of co-op before I graduate, I couldn’t imagine college without it. While searching for my first co-op around this time last year, I decided I would make the most of the opportunities Wentworth gave to me. I wanted to use the co-op program to touch on as many options as I could under the umbrella of my education. My first unofficial co-op was spent at a family owned rug store to gain the perspective of a professional knowledgeable of a specific material. The second co-op I completed was at a unionized dry walling company as a Revit Modeler/Drafter, where I learned a great deal about the construction of a project. Finally, I spent three months at Payette learning the role of an interior designer in an architecture firm.

This semester has been an exciting and educational practice that has helped guide me to where I would like to work once I graduate. In the past I have worked for small companies. I was very nervous to even interview at Payette because of the scale. I had always seen myself at a small firm but thanks to being here I have opened up to the idea of a larger environment. The YDC events and atmosphere of the office made it easier to connect with people I did not work with directly.

I set three major goals for myself this semester of things I would like to know more about. My goals were to see how interaction with clients informs design decisions, how interdisciplinary teams work to produce a design and to learn about material’s properties and palettes. I spent the majority of my time work with the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center team and I was able to attend and help out with a client meeting as well as help develop the materials after each client meeting. The alcove discussions and design showings the firm offers was a fantastic way to witness the work each member does in a design in a condensed time (I loved attending the alcove discussions).

Lastly, I was given many opportunities to help Payette’s Librarian Amanda Holmen in the library and assist on the palettes, which expanded my knowledge of the materials and the reasoning behind choosing one over another. My team, and the firm, has really helped me achieve all three of my goals.

Thank you, Payette, for the experience this semester and for making this internship educational and memorable.