FIDM Alumni Share Their Experiences

Have an Interest in Interiors?

On February 23, 2002, FIDM students gathered at the Los Angeles campus to hear inspirational success stories from Interior Design alumni. Organized by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), the panel included Stacy Nochenson ('91), Brandon Smith ('01), Heather Kirk ('98), Leslie Jacobs-Parraguirre ('79) and Alison Pollack ('93). The designers each spoke candidly of their time at FIDM and the first jobs they had in the industry. Then they discussed the type of design they currently focus on, which ranged from corporate to residential to commercial. All of the alumni participated in a Q&A session with students and stressed how important it is to network and make contacts in the industry.

"You go into Interior Design because you have a passion for what you do," explained Nochenson, who has designed spaces for Warner Bros., Technicolor and KIIS-FM in Los Angeles. "It's a real splash of water in your face going into the real world," offered 20 year-old Smith, who works for Contract Interiors, a firm that has done jobs for Nokia and a 1 million square-foot project for Intel. Kirk, who works primarily with residential spaces stressed, "The client looks to you as the expert. This is their home and it's very personal."

Jacobs runs Colours, an I-D firm in Las Vegas, and she shared with students the pros and cons of the industry. "I love the creative aspect of this business," she said. "But I'm not so crazy about the business part of it." Each alumni spoke of the different niche businesses within the industry and Pollack truly illustrated this point. As the owner of Earth Friendly, Pollack took her love and passion for non-toxic and natural design and turned it into a thriving business. "It's very satisfying to tie your integrity to your job," she said.