Student Members at TX/OK's IIDA SHIFT 2022

Feb 10, 2022 By IIDA HQ

Hear from IIDA Student members Shelby Alexander, Veronica Aziz, and Mikayla Adkins about their experiences at and takeaways from the IIDA Texas Oklahoma's annual student conference.

By IIDA HQ Feb 10, 2022

Above: Students on firm tours at IIDA SHIFT, photo by DenMark Phan, 2020

The IIDA Texas/Oklahoma Chapter annual student conference, IIDA SHIFT, brings students together in a space where they can learn, have fun, and access needed resources. This conference provides students with networking and educational opportunities to help build their future as design leaders. The 2022 conference offered project tours, hands-on workshops, Industry Expo, resume and portfolio reviews, CEU opportunities, a keynote presentation featuring architect Juan Carlos Baumgartner, and more.

Students had the opportunity to participate in engaging programming preparing them to enter the professional world, and providing a memorable experience. We connected with attendees of this year's conference to hear about why attending IIDA SHIFT is important, and which programs resonated with them. Hear from IIDA Student members how this experience SHIFTed their future, and prepared them for their careers in the design industry.

Mikayla Adkins, Student IIDA
Kansas State University

Being the lone student from Kansas State University, attending IIDA SHIFT 2022 in a city I would be traveling to alone and had never visited before, I was a little nervous to go. I decided to push myself out of my comfort zone and make the most of it—and within two hours of being there I felt as though I had made life-long friends. All of the students I interacted with were from various parts of the country, passionate about design, and excited to learn something new. We all shared enthusiasm to be there and have this opportunity. The ability to interact and connect with other interior design students all over the U.S. is one of the most beneficial parts of this conference.

From this time forward, all of the students I met, I can continue to support in their educational and professional journey—and they can do the same for me. Beyond student connections, this conference allows attendees the opportunity to connect with industry professionals through workshops, tours, mock interviews, portfolio reviews, Industry Expo, and more! Meeting professionals as students is everything because you never know where those connections can take you. Ultimately one’s network is key, and in my opinion, it’s the most important thing students gain from this conference. But you only get out of it what you put into it!

Mikayla Adkins, Student IIDA from Kansas State University at the 2022 IIDA TX/OK SHIFT Student Conference

Shelby Alexander, Student IIDA
University of North Texas

I’m currently a senior in the interior design program at the University of North Texas (UNT), and the president of the Interior Design Student Alliance at UNT. Last year, I attended IIDA SHIFT for the first time virtually, so to experience this event in person was an amazing opportunity and it allowed me to build my connections with even more professionals. Our field of design is about who you know and how well you carry yourself.

I highly recommend IIDA SHIFT to other students at UNT because it is an event that allows you to learn from professional mentors about the industry that we are about to enter. I think the most valuable opportunity is the portfolio review and mock interview because it’s a judgment-free trial for the real deal. Not only did I receive great feedback to improve my work, but I received guidance on those “unknown” aspects that come up when it is time to commit to a firm. I learned what my strengths are during an interview and what I can do to present my work in a way that reflects my values.

Shelby Alexander, Student IIDA from the University of North Texas

Veronica Aziz, Student IIDA
New Jersey Institute of Technology’s Hillier College of Architecture and Design

As a senior, it is important to be familiar with all the different resources out there before graduating. I personally wasn’t too familiar with IIDA SHIFT but decided to go with the hopes of learning more about the field before graduating—it was by far one of the biggest highlights of my undergraduate career. Not only did I gain valuable information about what to look for in a job offer and career opportunities, but also how to successfully create a portfolio. I made tons of new friends and connections all within three days, which is what made this experience a worthwhile one. I definitely recommend any aspiring interior designer to attend IIDA SHIFT. You won’t regret it!

I learned the most from the Student Design Charrette. Being grouped with three other design students from all over the country allowed me to understand how other colleges prepare their students. We all come from different colleges meaning we all have different strengths and weaknesses. My team and I (Group 1) definitely paused and studied what each team member was good at. We made concept diagrams, adjacency diagrams, and rough sketches to see how we would produce a successful design solution within a four hour timeframe. Because of our thought-out plan, we ended up winning first place!

The resume/portfolio reviews and mock interviews session was also one of the most helpful sessions out of all three days. Most colleges tend to not hold any workshops or courses to help students create their portfolios, as a result, many students are left lost and not aware of what to include. My session was held by Staci Tave, Studio Manager of Interior Architecture & Design at Ware, who gave me several helpful tips such as: know what projects to focus on, include minimal words, and have a clean and concise layout.

Mikayla Adkins, Student IIDAKansas State University

Shelby Alexander, Student IIDAUniversity of North Texas

Veronica Aziz, Student IIDANew Jersey Institute of Technology’s Hillier College of Architecture and Design

Mikayla Adkins, Student IIDA
Kansas State University

Shelby Alexander, Student IIDA
University of North Texas

Veronica Aziz, Student IIDA
New Jersey Institute of Technology’s Hillier College of Architecture and Design