Rachel De Deyn embodied the dedication and drive required to excel in a demanding field while pursuing her master’s degree in Interior Design at Ball State University. Juggling a full-time job at TRELLIS, a MillerKnoll furniture dealer, while taking online classes is no easy feat. Still, De Deyn’s experience offered her valuable insight.

One of the key factors in De Deyn’s success was the program’s flexibility.

“I worked full-time, then did my course work either at the end of the day or on the weekends. I love the ability to still work and maintain my career while pursuing my degree,” De Deyn said.

De Deyn’s journey to getting her master’s degree wasn’t without challenges. Balancing work, studies, and personal life required significant effort and time management skills.

“Coming from home from a day of work and getting right into studying, it’s not always as easy as it sounds like it should be,” De Deyn. “That was the biggest hurdle to overcome but having it online and being able to do it for my couch was just really great.”

Having a strong mentor can make a difference, and Professor Kanakri played a crucial role in helping De Deyn navigate through the complexities of graduate studies.

“She was definitely instrumental and very supportive. She was able to provide me with information and feedback and gave me a broader understanding of my role within the design world,” De Deyn said.

The master’s program proved to be transformative for De Deyn’s approach to design.

It instilled in her a focus on blending functionality, aesthetics, and sustainability while emphasizing evidence-based design.

“The program taught me to have research first and then think about how everything you’re doing impacts somebody and hope that will be positive,” De Deyn said.

To students interested in the program and those currently enrolled, De Deyn said it was really influential for her to be in the workforce for a few years before starting her graduate studies.

“It gave me a bit of perspective on what I wanted out of my career and what direction I wanted to go,” De Deyn said. “Get your feet wet and figure out if you like the industry.”