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Home » News » Photos: Field Trips Offer Experiential Learning Opportunities for FSU Interior Architecture and Design Students

Photos: Field Trips Offer Experiential Learning Opportunities for FSU Interior Architecture and Design Students

Published February 17, 2023
A group of students poses for a picture in front of a wall with a black and white mural.

A key part of the department’s curriculum, these field trips offer great opportunities for students to explore various careers in design and make important industry connections.

Last month, Florida State University Interior Architecture and Design students took part in three exciting excursions designed to provide them with real-world insight and experiences that will help them launch successful careers. A key part of the department’s curriculum, these field trips offer great opportunities for students to explore various careers in design and make important industry connections.

A man speaks to a group of students in a colorful tropical themed hotel room.

Fourth-year students visited Universal Loews Hotels in Orlando.

Fourth-year students traveled with Professor Jill Pable, Ph.D., and Associate Professor Steven Webber, M.Arch., Webber to Orlando to explore hotel design. They visited Wave Hotel at Lake Nona and several Universal Loews Hotels including Cabana Bay Beach Hotel, Sapphire Falls Hotel and Pacific Grove Hotel. The group also received a special tour of Citywalk Entertainment with lighting designer and FSU alum Lindsay Dixon (BA 2004, MFA Interior Design 2012).

Special thanks to the tour guides and facilitators who made their trip possible: Lisa Hock of Universal Creative, Sixto Ramirez and Scott Blow of Loews Hotels and Danielle Medeiros, Catherine McWhorter and Miguel Frias of Lake Nona Wave Hotel!

Third-year students have made several trips to learn about workplace design. In January, they traveled to Atlanta with Jill Pable to visit Steelcase’s WorkLife Center, after which they met with alum Heather Dodd (BS 2012, MFA Interior Design 2014) at the office of Gresham Smith, and spent a full day participating in lighting orientation at Cooper Lighting’s Source Education Center. In February, alongside instructor Arely Cavazos and Associate Professor Amy Huber, the students visited the office of DAG architects, where they saw the final stages of HCA’s workplace build-out.

The Atlanta trip was made possible by several generous hosts and guides. Special thanks to Amanda Guerrier (BS 2011, MFA Interior Design 2014) and Kelsie Potts of Steelcase and Heather Dodd of Gresham Smith who coordinated visits with Amy Huber, and Steven Guarracino, Mario Romero Barajas and Tammy Simmons of Cooper Lighting, who coordinated with Jill Pable and Don Cox, Elena Bradbury of DAG Architects and Mike Imbler of AJAX, and who made arrangements with Arely Cavazos.