Inside IIDA Student Mentoring

Feb 13, 2023 By Jessica Jones

Megan Burns and Kaitlin Salisbury on the mentorship experience from the mentor and mentee perspectives.

By Jessica Jones Feb 13, 2023

Published in Programs

The IIDA Student Mentoring Program invites students to gain insight into a career in the interior design industry. Students have the opportunity to shadow a professional for a day to help them build connections with people in the industry. Emerging designers and design professionals have the chance to give back to the design community by sharing their experience with students, thereby shaping the future of design. Megan Burns, Assoc. IIDA and Kaitlin Salisbury, Student IIDA share with us what it means to be a part of this program as a mentor and student.

What have you learned from your mentor that you always take with you?

Kaitlin: Based on my mentor's experience years in the field it was easy to see that she had excelled beyond many of her counterparts at her same experience level based on her current knowledge and job responsibilities. As a person who seeks to know what are the next steps in my career in order to develop, I was very interested in how she got to the point she did. She gave me tangible steps of writing things down in a system to keep references on tab while also suggesting ways that I could make it clear to my future employer that I also want to develop my job responsibilities.

Kaitlin Salisbury, Student IIDA
Project Specialist, Corgan

What successes have you achieved as a student that your mentor helped guide you through?

Kaitlin: I was a part of the program during my senior year of the interior design program, a fundamental time when deciding how to move forward in the interior design field after college. My mentor gave me advice on choosing a company based on my personality and career desires. She suggested possibilities based on her own experience, telling me the wins and the struggles of the jobs she has had. She ended up giving me advice about the current company I am working for in terms of asking questions I had not thought of and preparing me to be a stellar new employee.

How do you measure success in the design industry?

Megan: It is easy to get hung up on awards and features in publications, etc. and those are great ways to celebrate great designs and inspire. However, I’ve come to learn that success in the design industry for me means working on projects that I am passionate about, feeling a sense of belonging and respect amongst my colleagues, and giving back to the community through outreach. Finding balance between work and life, producing project work that the client and I are proud of, and work that makes an impact with the community.

What have you learned from your mentee that you will always take with you?

Megan: Kaitlin and is a great example of giving 110% and truly immersing yourself into the different studio project types to truly learn what area of design you’re interested in working in. She’s truly tried all design practice areas and given them her full attention and effort in order to land on her current role in the niche of aviation and hospitality. Kaitlin asked such good questions and follow up questions about my approach to design that it made me truly reflect on my process and strive to improve my methods and practices. Her fresh perspective is inspiring. It's also fascinating to see the difference in each college’s curriculum and how they approach their studio projects and adapt to make sure they’re teaching the most relevant software programs for the industry.

Megan Burns, Assoc. IIDA
Interior Designer, Gensler

What was the most valuable part of your experience?

Kaitlin: Overall the experience was not only tangibly very helpful in making career choices and setting me up for my current job, but it was also inspiring. She lives in a city I would like to move to one day and I enjoyed hearing about her experience there as a designer. She was also able to give me a glimpse into the work she is doing, which as a student, opened my eyes to the level of design and design possibilities out there.

Megan: The most valuable and fulfilling part of mentoring has been getting to know students from all over the U.S. and helping connect them with job opportunities all around the country. I’ve worked on opposite coasts and have friends in the industry that are in several cities and at many firms specializing in all practice areas. I have loved keeping in touch and referring or helping former mentees.

Why would you recommend being a mentor or mentee to others?

Kaitlin: Being on the receiving end of someone else's design wisdom was incredibly valuable to me. I am able to say that her advice not only guided me to my career choice but will allow me to continue to develop in my career. This experience and relationship gave me wisdom during a time when I was having to make big choices about my career for the first time. Speaking from experience I would have had less assurance on my career choice if I did not have a mentor and I look forward to sharing my experience with a young professional like myself in the future!

Megan: The connections you gain, both as a mentor and mentee, by being involved in the IIDA mentorship program are lifelong and can be so influential to your career. I have met so many bright and inspiring young students that as a mentor it keeps me on my toes and sharp. As a mentee, getting feedback on your portfolio and post-graduate trajectory from a mentor that is experienced in the industry is invaluable.

Applications for the 2025 IIDA Student Mentoring Program are open, apply here. For questions or more information, contact Melissa Cook, Student Engagement Manager at mcook@iida.org.