Networking Matters: NYSID Connects You to the Professional Community of Interior Design

When you’re selecting which interior design program to invest in, an institution's academics are paramount. The New York School of Interior Design (NYSID) offers some of the most rigorous interior design curricula anywhere, including a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design (BFA) and Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design (MFA1) accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA). But there’s another layer of “the design school experience” prospective students and their parents should evaluate. “Look into how a design school will connect you to the interior design industry and established practitioners who might hire or mentor you,” advises President of NYSID David Sprouls. ​​NYSID offers unparalleled industry engagement.

In addition to its network of active alumni, NYSID’s leadership, Board of Trustees, Office of Career Services, and faculty who are leading practitioners in the field, have deep connections with the professional community of interior designers in New York and throughout the United States. Says Carissa Pintello ‘25 (MFA1), a recent alum who landed a job at Martin Brudizki Design Studio (MBDS), “The networking NYSID offers is an absolute necessity. It makes the step of getting a job way less stressful when you have relationships and kinship in the field.” Here are six ways NYSID helps its students get connected, get noticed, and find mentors in interior design.  

1. Internship / Scholarship Hybrids Specifically for NYSID Students

In recent years, multiple interior design and architecture firms have created scholarships exclusively for NYSID students, and they come with paid internships. For example, in 2026-27, Jeremiah Brent Design (JBD) is once again offering a $5,000 scholarship that comes with a paid internship. Alejandra Escalante Barcelo (MFA2), NYSID’s 2025-26 Jeremiah Brent Scholar, said of the experience, “I just love being there at JBD. I can’t believe I’m getting paid to learn, and in New York City. It’s a dream.” Ferguson & Shamamian renewed their support of the Ferguson & Shamamian Travel Award for Cultural Discovery at NYSID for 2027, a $5,000 scholarship prize that enables a student to design their own course of design-oriented travel study over the summer, an experience that culminates in a paid internship at Ferguson & Shamamian Architects. 

Holly Hayden Taylor ’09 (BFA), Alejandra Escalante Barcelo (MFA2), and Jeremiah Brent

2. Participation in Benefits, Industry Events & Showhouses

The New York School of Interior Design regularly sends teams of students to create installations and present work at some of interior design’s most high-profile charity events and showhouses, where the vanguard of the industry also show off their talent. Most of these opportunities are arranged by NYSID’s Dean of Students Office.      

Soraya Meadowsweet (MFA1), a DIFFA team member, recently installed a vignette at the DIFFA “Angels and Demons” Gala at Cathedral of St. John the Divine on March 19. She says, “The DIFFA gala was an unforgettable production and opportunity to experience the powerful intersection of interior design, fashion, and philanthropy. Seeing our design come to life and be displayed alongside so many inspiring creatives and established designers in the industry was both exciting and extremely rewarding.” The 2026 DIFFA team was supervised by faculty advisor Thomas Hucker and also consisted of students Samantha Elitharp (BFA), Lauren Joyce (MFA1), Hanna Kerez (BFA), Joella Lai (MFA1), Swagatika Rath (MFA1), Yan-Ju Yin (BFA), and Ariel Zarfati (MFA1).  

Thomas Hucker, Joella Lai (MFA1), Yan-Ju Yin (BFA), Soraya Meadowsweet (MFA1), David Sprouls, Hanna Kerez (BFA), Samantha Elitharp (BFA), Swagatika Rath (MFA1), Lauren Joyce (MFA1), photo by Alberto Vasari

3. The Mentorship Program 

NYSID offers students a formal mentorship program in which alumni, trustees, or friends of the college offer one-on-one advice on how to navigate the design industry. Design professionals who have participated as mentors in recent years include Jesse Carrier and Mara Miller, founding principals of Carrier and Company Interiors, Corey Damen Jenkins, founder and principal of Corey Damen Jenkins & Associates, Elizabeth Lawrence ’03 (AAS), partner at Williams Lawrence,  Matthew Giampietro ’14 (MFA1) retail and experiential designer at Casper, Kevin Garcia ’17 (MFA2) strategy manager at Gensler, and Courtney McLeod, principal at Right Meets Left Interior Design and a NYSID trustee.

“The mentorship program has been incredibly helpful in shaping my early career,” says NYSID student and mentee Averie Chiu (MFA1). “Matthew Giampietro, an alum of NYSID and a house designer at Casper, supported me in refining my portfolio and generously shared his industry knowledge, while Courtney McLeod, principal at Right Meets Left Interior Design, went out of her way to attend a presentation, offer thoughtful feedback, and even bring me along to visit vendors. Their guidance has given me both clarity and confidence in my path.” 

“Having a conversation with Kevin Garcia of Gensler really opened up my understanding of how many different pathways interior designers can move through after graduation,” says student and mentee Kelly Ratner (MFA2). “It showed me that a career doesn’t have to be linear, you can begin in a design role and evolve your path into something more strategic or business oriented over time.” 

4. Lectures & Symposia with Interior Design Leaders

NYSID offers lectures and symposia with designers at the forefront of their sectors of the industry. The generosity of the college’s supporters makes these events free for NYSID students, whether they are studying online or on campus. Dennis Scully, host of The Business of Home podcast, is the curator and host of NYSID’s Dialogues on Design, a series of intimate conversations with prominent interior designers. In 2025 and 2026, Scully hosted Athena Calderone, Corey Damen Jenkins, John and Christine Gachot, and Ken Fulk to name just a handful of luminaries. Students get to hear about how these giants of the interior design profession started their businesses, and the decisions they make to keep growing and evolving. Says Scully of the series, “When students look back at their time at the school, I want them to remember the careers we celebrate are extraordinary, but also within their reach.”   

Dennis Scully and Corey Damen Jenkins at Dialogues on Design

5. Student Chapters of Professional Organizations  

Among the many active clubs at NYSID are student chapters of the industry’s leading professional organizations, including the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), the Asian American Pacific Islander Design Alliance (AAPIDA x NYSID), advised by NYSID Trustee and AD100 designer Young Huh, and the International Interior Design Association (IIDA). Members of these clubs participate in networking events at NYSID and beyond.  

“Through my involvement in student chapters like ASID, AAPIDA, and IIDA, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with professionals across New York, which has been incredibly valuable. Those connections have led to mentorship, guidance, and honest conversations about navigating the field,” says student Swagatika Rath (MFA1). “These real-world interactions have brought a level of clarity and intention to my education. Instead of seeing design as something that exists only in a studio setting, I’ve been able to understand how it operates in practice; how relationships are built, how opportunities come about, and how important it is to stay engaged beyond the classroom.” 

Swagatika Rath (MFA1), Young Huh, and Carissa Pintello `25 (MFA1) at NYSID’s Gala 2025

6.  Faculty Members Who Are Interior Design Professionals 

Many of NYSID’s faculty members lead departments at major global design and architecture firms or own successful design firms. Said Mateusz Lukasz Jablonski ‘25 (BID), “NYSID students benefit from instructors who are skilled professionals, bringing industry insights and networking opportunities to the classroom.” The instructors often invite colleagues to be guest critics who come into class, often as a means of discovering upcoming talent. “One of the most important gains for me has been that in every review or presentation, guest critics—who are active industry professionals—come in and give feedback,” says student Kelly Ratner (MFA2). 

These multiple avenues to industry engagement are among the reasons why 92% of NYSID undergraduate students and 94% of NYSID graduate students are employed or pursuing further education within six months of graduation (as of 2024).   

Find Your Path to a NYSID Education

If you're interested in learning more about a NYSID education, you can request information HERE and/or investigate what academic path might be right for you HERE.      

Olivia Baldacci