Emma-Kate Metsker ’17
Winter internship: Andra Birkerts Design
Award: Talanian Family Work and Learning Fellowship
Majors: Studio art, business and management
Career exploration: “I always have loved interior design and I was excited to find out if my passion truly aligned with the occupation. I was looking for a short-term position that would give me clear insight into the life of an interior designer. Andra Birkerts Design was a perfect fit. I was able to absorb the atmosphere of a successful design firm not only because of the firm’s design aesthetic, which I felt was in line with my personal design preference, but also because of the close-knit designers.”
Making clients happy: “Operating a business that revolves around a client’s needs and desires can be demanding and difficult. The growth in my skill set, as well as the knowledge I gained in this position, was far more than I expected. I gained the most value from the hands-on experience and dealing with clients and vendors. I was able to understand the logistics behind the steps it takes to produce the end results.”
Proving oneself: “The biggest challenge I faced was the pressure to try and prove my capability as an intern. I tried to go above and beyond what was expected of me, and make clear my excitement about even the simplest tasks. In the end, as with any design job, the final result is always surprising and it was amazing to see what such a small firm could pull off and the beautiful spaces they created.”
Seeing results: “One of my favorite moments on the job was going to a client’s house and seeing both work areas in progress as well as completed projects. It was so interesting to see how much we could transform a space, as well as the amazing works of art and furniture interior designers get to work with.”
Designing the future: “This opportunity fits into my educational experience at Wheaton as the field of interior design directly combines business with a specific art form. Understanding organizational behavior as well as graphic design aided me in this process, as I directly applied these skills to my daily tasks. My eventual goal is to maintain a design position where I can access my creativity daily. This internship helped me to understand exactly how I would use those skills as an interior designer and gave me insight into the life of those in the business.”
Winter internships
Wheaton College’s Filene Center for Academic Advising and Career Services offers the Winternship initiative each year. It allows students to travel around the globe working in schools, health clinics, nonprofit organizations and corporate settings. Return to main page