By Clara Lincicome | Reporter
The interior design department located in the Goebel building is looking to upgrade its interior, specifically the carpets, to better represent the work that is being done inside its walls.
Ann Theriot, clinical assistant professor of interior design is the point person for the fundraiser. Theriot said she feels passionately that the current interior of the building is anything but inspiring for students looking to pursue careers in interior design.
“We moved into Goebel in 2012, the interior design program did. We had previously been across campus in a couple of different older locations which were also equally unattractive,” Theriot said. “It’s great, we’re really glad to be in this building, but it hasn’t been updated in roughly 30 years. The carpet is very, very old and unattractive and doesn’t resemble any kind of interior design skill. It doesn’t demonstrate what we do.”
The new carpet is not simply an upgrade for the building, but rather a piece of the puzzle of working towards a building that accurately represents the interior design caliber of the department.
“We really wanted to refresh the building and make it look like a real design studio and really bring the level of design excellence up to resemble what we’re teaching our students,” Theriot said.
Wednesday was Baylor Giving Day, and the department emphasized the fundraiser initiative towards alumni.
“We are doing a torch campaign with Baylor, which is a short burn fundraising process.” Theriot said. “There’s a torch fundraising page that has some pictures of the building, the interior, as well as what the new carpet’s going to look like.”
The fundraising for this project works by donors buying square yards of carpet. Each square yard is $35, and when completed, every donor’s name will be displayed in the building.
Jill Kraeger is a freshman interior design student from Cary, Ill., who recently bought a carpet square for the fundraiser.
“It’s really embarrassing that [the building is] so sad. No one feels inspired going in there to work or study, …and I know that’s what really initiated it and it’s finally happening,” Kraeger said. “We get to buy a carpet square and then our names will be on it forever.”
Theriot emphasized that students in the program are supportive of the project, as they are “all for anything that will make their studio space more cutting-edge and look more hip.”
“There’s a sense of unity that the students all perceive in the unattractive nature of their workspace, which is awfully ironic considering they are interior design students.” Kraeger said.
As of Thursday, the fundraiser has accumulated $2,020 worth of donations. The goal for the campaign is $60,000, and they hope to install the new carpet by the fall of 2021 in time for students to enjoy a brand new interior studio space. The fundraiser ends on June 11.
Students like McKinney freshman Ashleigh Bickerstaff are advocating for the project in hopes of showing “that there are people that care about changing the building that we’re in,” she said.
Theriot said she is hopeful for the campaign and feels strongly about the positive effect the new carpet design will have on the atmosphere of the building as well as the representation.
“Baylor’s interior design department is producing students with exceptional skill,” Theriot said. “We want to provide them with a learning environment that is engaging and reflective of equally exceptional design.”
