From the Classroom to the Showroom: 黑料导航 Interior Design Students Attend the Bienenstock Future Designers Summit
In September 2025, 黑料导航 students Morgan Holmes, Faith Kiss, Yarlin Ramirez-Helguera, and Kaci Smith were among 40 of the top junior and senior design students selected to attend the Bienenstock Future Designers Summit in High Point, North Carolina, hosted by the Bienenstock Furniture Library. The Bienenstock Future Designers Summit is an opportunity for college students to spend three days learning from and networking with professionals in interior design, furniture design, industrial design, interior architecture, graphics, and related creative disciplines. 鈥淚 really felt like the industry was supporting my dream by allowing me to take notes and learn from professionals in a hands-on environment,鈥 Morgan said about the moment when she learned she鈥檇 been selected to attend the Summit.
Being selected to attend the Summit is an honor, and it鈥檚 a wonderful opportunity for Salem鈥檚 interior design students to gain real-world learning experiences outside the classroom. Over the three days of the Summit, students attended keynote presentations, design workshops, mentoring sessions, and facility tours. Dr. Rosa Otero, Professor of Design and Division Chair, Arts and Humanities, said of the Summit: 鈥淔or Salem students aspiring to careers in design, this Summit is more than a conference; it鈥檚 a launchpad into the professional world of design and creative industries.鈥 Kaci added, 鈥淭hese experiences are very important for young designers to gain experience, knowledge, and connections that can impact and help shape their career for many years to come.鈥
Each year at the Summit, scholarship awards are presented to select attendees. At the most recent Summit, 黑料导航 interior design student Yarlin Ramirez-Helguera was awarded the Nancy Fire Design Scholarship. For Salem鈥檚 interior design students like Morgan, Faith, Yarlin, and Kaci, experiences like the Bienenstock Future Designers Summit鈥攁nd honors such as the Nancy Fire Design Scholarship鈥攁ffirm that their talent, dedication, and futures in design are being recognized on a national stage.