Wynne Swick

Major: Interior Design
Minor: Construction and Design

Workplace Interior Design Intern at Corgan in Chicago

How did you learn about this internship opportunity?

I first learned about this internship opportunity on LinkedIn. After seeing the position posted, I prepared my resume and portfolio, submitted my application, and then successfully completed the interview process.

How has your internship helped build your skills and clarify your career goals? How did being a Liberal Arts student at Purdue apply to your internship?

My time at Corgan greatly improved my skills in Interior Design through diving deep into work on construction documents, learning more about materials and their real-world applications, and how to conduct myself in a highly professional setting. The internship helped me to realize what type of work I want to do in the future and at what size of firm.

What is a piece of advice you would give someone in your major  looking for an internship?

My biggest piece of advice for students in this major seeking internships is to take pride in your work. If you approach your projects with genuine enthusiasm and clearly communicate the value you can bring to a company, that energy is contagious, employers notice your passion and become excited to work with you.

What key responsibilities or tasks have you taken on during your internship?

Some of my responsibilities included working on construction documents, upkeep of the material library, concept development and research, meeting with material reps, greeting visitors, and helping with any day-to-day tasks.

In what ways has the College of Liberal Arts at Purdue University supported your internship journey? How has your participation in our job-ready program specifically aided your professional development?

The College of Liberal Arts has greatly helped me in my internship experience by providing resume and portfolio prep and having a large network of connections available to me. Participating in the Job-Ready program was especially important as it enabled me to relocate for the summer and gain the extensive, hands-on experience that has been so valuable to my development.

Could you highlight a standout aspect of your experience in this program that you find particularly noteworthy?

A standout experience that I had this summer was being able to be in Chicago during NeoCon. NeoCon is a very large commercial interior design convention and I was able to attend many showrooms, see new innovations and materials, and make a bunch of important connections.