At the midpoint of NYSID’s MFA-1 program, this emerging interior designer—the 2020 winner of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) prestigious David Barrett Memorial Scholarship for students interested in classical design—is seizing every opportunity by the horns.

Hanna Propst believes design is a “way of life,” and it’s a life she’s fought to lead. Halfway through NYSID’s MFA-1 program, and a few weeks after winning ASID’s prestigious David Barrett Memorial Scholarship, Propst is determined to take advantage of every opportunity her education has to offer.

How She Chose NYSID’s MFA-1

Propst spent the first seven years after college working in human resources at various corporations. She did quite well, so it took her years to realize it wasn’t the jobs that left her unsatisfied; it was the whole career. As an undergraduate, she started as a studio art major at The University of North Carolina, but after moving to New York City and transferring to Baruch College, she switched to a double major in corporate communication and psychology because she thought that would lead her to a life in which she could support herself. She desperately missed creativity while working in corporate HR, so she sought out the MFA-1 program at NYSID because she wanted a balance of artistry and practicality in her career. Always driven, Propst hit the ground running and hasn't stopped."

Looking Back at the First Half

Propst believes that the two most important things she got out of the first half of the MFA-1 program are an intensely practical foundation in interior architecture, and access to a network of architects and designers who share her values. She says, “The practical skill set that we are taught is invaluable—building codes, methods of construction, building systems, and technical programs. Understanding the actual construction of a wall, even the plumbing and ventilation, is as important as the pretty finishes.” NYSID’s graduate center is set up such that incoming students are placed in an open studio environment that mimics a workplace, and NYSID’s first-year students stay with that group for an entire year. Propst says, “My studio quickly became a very close-knit group. The program is extremely demanding. There are late nights when you are on deadline and you get stuck, and there is always someone in the studio willing to help you out. That camaraderie among students is a critical aspect of making it through.”

Interior Design is for Go-Getters

“Graduate school is a privilege and you can only get out of it what you put into it,” Propst says. “Go to lectures, get involved in student organizations, volunteer, apply for internships early, and make this your priority. If you connect with a professor, ask them for coffee and learn about their experiences. Take responsibility for yourself, your education, and your path.”

Grabbing every opportunity NYSID has to offer is a philosophy that Propst lives by. She is the president of the Graduate Student Association and is constantly encouraging other students to get more involved. She’s particularly enthusiastic about the Dialogues on Design lecture series as well as the lecture series collaborations that NYSID does with The Institute of Classical Architecture & Art. She says the successful designers in these series constantly reignite her passion for design and show her the many different paths within an interior design career. In fact, in February 2019, Propst attended a Dialogues on Design lecture featuring Jesse Carrier and Mara Miller, the husband-and-wife design duo behind Carrier & Company, focused on high-end residential design and home product lines. She was inspired by their talk and told them so after the event. Jesse Carrier gave her his card and email. They invited her to send her resume and portfolio. She did, and after the interview process, they hired her for a summer internship. Through this internship, she got a chance to collaborate on a branded product line, working with Mara Miller on translating her sketches of lighting fixtures into CAD and tweaking the proportions over and over until the product was just right. She got to travel to High Point for the launch of Carrier & Company’s Century Furniture line to do site surveying and measuring and help with installation. She also worked with the whole team on several high-end residences. Because Carrier & Company is small and dynamic, she was exposed to “a little bit of everything.” She says the internship was one of the most exciting, applicable, and inspirational experiences of her life.

Propst has also seized on several of the volunteer experiences NYSID offers. In her first year, she volunteered for The Winter Show, a massive annual art and antiques fair held at the Park Avenue Armory, and in doing so, honed her knowledge of antiques and art. Afterward, she sought out a meeting with Helen Allen, executive director of The Winter Show, and this year she will be volunteering directly for The Winter Show as the liaison for the press and VIP guests.

Shaping the Latter Half of Her Education

Through her studies and experiences, Propst has learned about her own aesthetic. She understands what she loves and why. That’s good, because self-direction is key for the second half of the MFA-1. “My program goals for the second half are to refine my course studies to fit my passions, those being historical architecture and antiques,” Propst explains. “My intention this spring is to do an independent study (under the supervision of NYSID instructor Warren Ashworth) on turn-of-the-century homes in England and the American Northeast, looking at preservation and how to honor those structures through interior design. I am also starting to think about how this will relate to my thesis project.” Propst’s knowledge of classical architecture and traditional design is so deep that she just won the ASID’s prestigious David Barrett Memorial Scholarship for “an outstanding undergraduate or graduate student who demonstrates an interest in utilizing classical design elements and traditional materials."

She’s a fan and follower of other traditional designers and would like to secure her next summer internship at a firm that creates what she calls “inheritable” designs. She admires Fairfax & Sammons, G.P. Schafer, Thomas Jayne, Ben Pentreath, McAlpine, Ferguson & Shamamian, and Peter Pennoyer, among others.

At the midpoint of her NYSID experience, Propst says, “I would not trade my graduate education for anything.”

If you or someone you know is interested in making a career change, take a look at the range of academic programs we offer at NYSID. We have a program that works for you!

Project Spotlight

In the MFA-1 course Interior Design Studio III, Hanna created a retail environment for an English consumer brand rooted in the traditions of classic British country life. Here are several perspective renderings from the project. To see more of Hanna’s work, check out her portfolio.