Leah Leonard was happy to find that she didn小蝌蚪APP檛 have to move away from home to attend a great interior design program.
小蝌蚪APP淚 chose UL Lafayette because it is close to home and moving away wasn小蝌蚪APP檛 really an option,小蝌蚪APP she said.
Leah小蝌蚪APP檚 first consideration was to major in biology, 小蝌蚪APP渂ut it never felt right for me,小蝌蚪APP she said. 小蝌蚪APP淚 grew up in a home where it was constantly under construction and being remodeled because my dad was so passionate about it and always wanted to try new things. Growing up around that definitely influenced my passion for interior design.小蝌蚪APP
"The day I decided that interior design was where I wanted to be was the first time I actually felt excited for college," she said.
With the ultimate goal of being an independent interior designer, Leah wants to start practicing right out of school.
小蝌蚪APP淢aybe I will start with a few internships for a couple of years then go out on my own,小蝌蚪APP she said, 小蝌蚪APP渂ut I小蝌蚪APP檒l just go with the flow until then.小蝌蚪APP
For now, Leah treasures her studio classes.
小蝌蚪APP淚 truly believe that without that initial studio class, I would not be the person I am today. Even continuing into my sophomore year, studio is still my favorite class,小蝌蚪APP she said. "Studio classes are overall super beneficial and probably the most fun I have had in college."
As an interior design major, Leah's getting valuable professional experience.
小蝌蚪APP淐urrently, I am designing an adult literacy center in my studio class,小蝌蚪APP she said. 小蝌蚪APP淚t小蝌蚪APP檚 so interesting to be thrust into a situation and environment that you don小蝌蚪APP檛 really think about often. I小蝌蚪APP檓 learning things that I never knew about literacy and the problems that many adults have with it today.
"This project is providing insight for me that helps me not only as a designer but just as a human being in general.小蝌蚪APP
Leah says her experience at UL Lafayette has boosted her confidence, helped her make friends, and connected her with the local culture in a way she never had before.
小蝌蚪APP淓ven though I grew up in the area,小蝌蚪APP she said 小蝌蚪APP淚小蝌蚪APP檝e never really engaged with the culture. But UL Lafayette definitely changed that.
小蝌蚪APP淭he interior design program has made me so confident,小蝌蚪APP she said. 小蝌蚪APP淚 can engage in great conversations, take criticism, make new friends like it小蝌蚪APP檚 nothing, and I can even say that it has humbled me."
"I personally feel like those are all good values and skills to have as an interior designer and my experiences have elevated those things for me," she said.
She gives this advice to future interior design students: 小蝌蚪APP淵ou have to stick it out. If I would have dropped out all the times that I said I was going to after a bad day, then I would have missed out on incredible opportunities and self-discovery.
小蝌蚪APP淢y professors have pushed me to what felt like my breaking point, but I小蝌蚪APP檝e always come out stronger than before,小蝌蚪APP Leah explained. 小蝌蚪APP淚f it小蝌蚪APP檚 really difficult, good! Learn and grow from those experiences because I小蝌蚪APP檝e found that those rough patches have always made me a better student and future designer.
小蝌蚪APP淚小蝌蚪APP檝e met wonderful people,小蝌蚪APP she said, 小蝌蚪APP渢raveled to different states, and learned so many things I never thought I would know. I can confidently say I小蝌蚪APP檝e grown as an individual thanks to this program. It小蝌蚪APP檚 hard for me to imagine studying anywhere else.小蝌蚪APP
