I was born and raised in New York, specifically lower east side/east village area, however I have lived in 3 out of the 5 boroughs, and know the train system like the back of my hand, well most of it with the exception of Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn. I have an undergraduate degree in Business Management with a concentration in Marketing from Marymount Manhattan College in New York. I was already working in marketing when I graduated and decided to continue work within the different areas of marketing. I’ve worked at an agency managing accounts, had a great experience managing product lines in publishing and finally worked for a very large corporation with great focus in on-line marketing. I came to realize that the only time I really enjoyed my job was when I worked with creative folks such as art directors and graphic artists. For a number of years I felt I could do something else; however I did not know what exactly. I decided to continue down the path I started and study for the GMATs so I can get an MBA. Taking the GMATs and applying for grad school helped decided that this is not what I really want. So at the recommendation of a friend, I took a career placement test and “art” ranked 93 out of 100. I was baffled; I didn’t want to be a starving artist, until I realized that interior design fell into this category. I decided to take a few classes at New York School of Interior Design to help me decided. So for the next 2-3 years I took credit classes such as; drafting, perspective, space planning and colors to name a few, all while I was working full-time. Then, in 2013 I was displaced and had to make a decision, am I going to stay in NY and get another marketing job (and continue to take classes at night) or should I take this opportunity to go to school full-time. I really wanted a Masters degree and looked at programs in NY. All of the interior design programs were very expensive. I have family in Miami and did the research regarding programs in Miami and found Florida International University has a master’s program for folks who do not have a Bachelor’s in Interior Design. I knew I could stay with family so I packed up and moved. I didn't want to have any regrets or should’ve, could’ve, would’ve... If this didn't work for me I can always go back to marketing either here in FL or go back to NY. While living in New York I regularly attended the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I always enjoyed going to this museum specifically to see their collection in decorative arts and their exhibits in period rooms, which were always fascinating to me. I enjoyed seeing the intricate details in the textiles and the workmanship in the furniture. It amazes me to see that these historical items still influence today’s design. Some of these designs continue to be reproduced today, such as the Queen Anne chair. So I’m also enrolled in the Master’s Certificate program for Museum Studies, specifically focusing in Exhibition Design. I believe interior design and exhibition design complement each other as they both focus in space planning, lighting and color. I believe this will provide me with options upon program completion as I start my career in design. That’s my story…what’s yours?