STUDENT EXPERIENCES
The interior design, fashion design and fashion merchandising fields present exciting challenges for future professionals to apply this philosophy to commercial and residential interior spaces, apparel design and manufacturing as well as merchandising strategies. Our department offers curriculum opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students that will prepare practitioners to mobilize their industries for a sustainable future.
The Department of Design, Housing and Merchandising continually provides up-to-date events relative to the industries. Students are exposed to a multitude of topics and professionals as they fulfill the ongoing curriculum requirement.
The Architecture Career Fair is the ideal place for students to learn about internships and full-time job opportunities. Interior design students are encouraged to get an early start on summer and post-graduation employment while networking with over 50 companies in attendance.
The Annual Architecture Career Fair is free and open to all OSU students.
Travel opportunities are an exciting way for students to participate in the world as it relates to their field of study. An array of options in domestic and abroad travel itineraries, offer students the ability to experience knowledge beyond the campus border.
The annual Senior Showcase is a display of accumulated works created by graduating interior design students. The event takes place annually inviting family, friends, peers, and professional to view student work. The show is curated and assembled by the students and remains on display after the event. It is a display our entire department looks forward to viewing each year.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the event was not held in 2020 and may not be in 2021, although student portfolios were available online on the DHM department Facebook page in 2020.
This project aims at raising the question: How can we keep social distance without losing our humanity? With the intention of reframing this question, we must think: How can we be protected but able to feel “close” to our peers? What will happen with social interaction once the restrictive lockdowns are removed? How will every day activities change with an ongoing threat such as the COVID contagion? In this project, we are asking you to select one scenario to propose a solution that can keep individuals protected but enhance human interaction between them.
Community engagement is an exciting way for students to participate in the world as it relates to their field of study. CANstruction allows students to make unique sculptures entirely out of canned food. After the judging and award ceremony takes place, all material used to make sculptures is donated to a local food pantry. In Payne County, 18% of our neighbors are food insecure, lacking reliable access to healthy, nutritious, and life sustaining foods. This year's OSU CANstruction event will be themed "FEEDING CHANGE" and will sponsor Our Daily Bread Food & Resource Center. Teams are encouraged to design a sculpture that represents how Feeding Change speaks to the mission of Our Daily Bread: Feeding our community collaboratively and providing connections that enable lasting change.
We are continually looking for opportunities to connect students with the community through special event programming targeting local and global challenges.
This collection reflects Leevera Pepin’s conviction that the best learning occurs in aesthetic situations. The artifacts procured between 1945 and 1980 were donated to the department of Design, Housing and Merchandising and continue to be enhanced through the generous endowment gift of The Pepin Fund. The collection continues to be an education conduit for interior design students and is on display throughout the department and building.