ALISON GREEN
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design Degree, 2010
Senior Interior Designer, Jackson Design & Remodeling
What was your experience like at Design Institute of San Diego?
Really good. I enjoyed all the design courses offered and made great friends while there. Although, I must admit, while I follow DI on social media, it looks like the current students are getting much more hands-on experience and field trips, which I think is a great improvement from when I attended.
Where are you working now? What is your title?
Jackson Design & Remodeling, Senior Interior Designer
What could you share with a prospective student about why they should consider attending?
I’ve learned a great deal in introduction courses to the design field. I think the courses were a very light introduction (aside from AutoCAD courses) to help get you started in the business field once you graduate.
If you could give one piece of advice to an aspiring interior designer, what would it be?
Try to get as much hands-on experience while you can. Whether through internships, or ASID events and networking, or attending out-of-class field trips. I feel like most designers are visual learners, and by being able to see things and do things in person, you would learn much more.
Why did you want to become an interior designer?
I was very interested in interior decorating and surface material selections in my high school years when my parents bought a new house that was practically a blank slate. I really enjoyed helping them select tile, carpet, paint, and décor throughout. I then started researching design schools, which made me really want to pursue it after high school.
At what age did you realize you wanted to pursue interior design?
16
When you first started at DISD, did you see yourself reaching the position you are currently in?
Not at all. At the beginning I was just excited to learn as much as I could, not really knowing where it would take me. I then graduated in 2010 during the recession and all I heard from past alumni was how tough it was to get a job in the field because no one was hiring. At the time, I accepted the fact that I might not find a job for a while, but that didn’t stop me from trying. I actually found an ad on Craigslist for the design assistant position at Jackson Design the morning of graduation. I applied, and then a couple of days later had the interview, then the next day received an acceptance call. It all happened so quickly. Now working here for eight years, I look back and still feel so blessed with the opportunity to work for such a prestigious company.
What was your favorite class at Design Institute?
I think AutoCAD was my favorite, but Color Theory was a close second. I loved learning a new computer program and I felt like I was in that computer lab a good portion of my time during the last two years. And with Color Theory, I liked the projects we had with learning color and mixing palettes.
