LIFE@OSU

Teressa Hartley’s internship this past summer provided the perfect opportunity to honor her African American heritage and practice her interior design skills.  A junior majoring in interior design, she refined and managed the redesign of a conference room in the Memorial Union, heading up a team of student designers, faculty, and staff.  The room features bright colors, bold patterns and sustainable design. The word Sankofa in the room’s new title refers to the West African symbol of a bird, reaching over his shoulder to grab an egg.  “It’s about reaching into the past and grabbing what is valuable and using it to move us forward,” explains Teressa.

The project started when associate professor Carol Caughey, working with a group of senior interior design students, suggested they talk with students in OSU’s Black Cultural Center about ideas for the redesign.  Teressa was among those who offered her reflections on their childhood homes and their perceptions of African American style.  She applied for the internship with OSU’s Promise Program that provides professional, managerial and technical paid work experience in state agencies for underserved populations.

Teressa managed the timeline, budget, and myriad detailed decisions from paint colors to quotes to include from prominent African and African American thinkers that adorn the room’s mural. As an added accolade, Teressa is the first student to be hired as a project manager for the redecoration of an MU room. The room was dedicated during a ceremony of October 13^th. Teressa was also featured in a Life@OSU article.