This section is for all of you design PROFESSIONALS, EDUCATORS and all around INDUSTRY MEMBERS out there.

Most of us have it made, right? We’re working in the industry we love and (hopefully) have a grasp on what it’s all about. But remember back when you were in school? Were you clueless about what you were doing and where you were headed? Did you feel pretty ignorant about what was out there and how to pursue it? If not, more power to you. If so, you were among many, and you still are.

Emerging designers and students are starving for information about the ins and outs of the industry. That’s where you come in. Of course, we’d like for you to subscribe to the (free) newsletter, but, moreover, we’d love for you to contribute your knowledge. In other words…

Be a source of information and inspiration.

All right, that sounds pretty Pollyanna-ish, but it is important. Why do we want each of your groups to contribute?

PROFESSIONALS: 

Students want to know about all types of design (hospitality, healthcare, retail, education, corporate, residential, institutional, etc.) and the myriad of related issues (construction administration, client dealings, code / building official compliance, sustainability / green design, geographical / political circumstances, business negotiations, bidding / presentations, etc.) that are difficult to learn in the classroom. As a practicing professional, you deal with one or more of these topics on a daily basis. Who better to enlighten students to the real world of design than you?

EDUCATORS:

You do your best to convey your industry knowledge, but so many topics cannot be covered in the classroom due to a combination of time and budget constraints. We want to complement your lesson plans, providing your students with information you usually can’t address. However, we’re sure many of you have gotten creative and have had great success conveying a certain aspect of the industry through one kind of assignment, exercise or another. You could empower others by sharing those successes. Or how about nominating a student to spotlight in our STAR POWER section? Or sharing your stories from any past or current side practice projects? Instead of educating the few, you have the opportunity to educate the many.

INDUSTRY MEMBERS:

Not everyone who gets his/her design degree goes on to be a designer. As you well know, there are a myriad of opportunities out there in the design world besides being an educator or a practicing professional. Let us hear from you researchers, manufacturers, product designers, showroom managers, sales reps, dealerships, facilities managers, etc. Students want to understand what you do and to hear what you have to say. Open up the possibilities to them and change their view of the world of design, possibly changing their lives in the process.