Interior Design program gets new head
JoAnn Wilson returns to Utah State University to take the reins of the interior design program after seven years as associate professor of interior design at Texas Tech University where she directed the undergraduate program and also earned a degree in architecture.
“I am delighted to be back at Utah State and with the interior design program,” Wilson said. “I know the quality of student design work is exceptionally high and I am determined to bring the program back to full department status. The program has a strong regional reputation, but we want to go beyond that.”
Students in USU’s Interior Design program continue to perform well at a national level, capturing top honors at various competitions. Students have recently taken first place honors at the Sub-Zero and Wolf Appliance, Inc. Student Kitchen Design 2007 Competition and internationally two years in a row at the Tasmeen Doha, a competition based in Qatar.
USU’s Interior Design program was recently awarded accreditation through CIDA -Council for Interior Design Accreditation – an arduous process, Wilson said.
“The interior design staff is to be commended for a job well done,” Wilson said. “The program continues to grow and is vital. I look forward to parlaying that success into many more stellar performances resulting in national and international recognition for the program, the university and the state.”
Wilson, formerly associate professor of interior design at USU, has been active in the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) for two decades, serving as Salt Lake chapter president twice and twice as a member of the executive board. In addition to her ASID affiliation, she is currently a member of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and has been an advisor to students in the student chapters of both organizations.
A graduate of the University of Utah’s design program, Wilson has also studied at the New York School of Interior Design. After working for a residential design firm in San Francisco and a commercial firm in Maryland, she worked for Salt Lake’s most prestigious design firm before starting her own design partnership and a design showroom in Salt Lake, where she represented many manufacturers.
For information about USU’s Interior Design program contact Wilson at 435-797-7520 or visit the program’s Web site (http://interiordesign.usu.edu/home.htm).