Being born and raised in Madison, MS, it was a fight to find a nourishing atmosphere to fill my appetite for design. That being said, it’s safe to say, I found it. Studying at Mississippi State University allowed me to focus on both my love for marketing/communication and my love for design and development.

 

After graduating with a Bachelors Degree in Marketing, I took time to consider what I wanted my life to look like and where I wanted my education to take me. Ultimately, I decided to return to MSU in the Spring of 2020 in pursuit of a Masters in Textile Design and Product Development.

 

During my graduate duration at MSU, I served as the Graduate Assistant to Dr. Charles Freeman, which allowed me to assist in leading Textile Studies to freshmen and sophomores at MSU. I was also able to work with Dr. Freeman on a study with the national fisherman’s society, which allowed us to analyze and research modifications that could be made to personal protective equipment onboard a typical commercial fishing boat.

 

In my personal studies, I was able to work with a company, Econyl, which converts recycled fishing nets from the ocean into plastic filament that can be used to extrude and 3D print. During this study, I was lucky enough to work with another graduate student to construct a CAD and virtual prototype of a Mycelium based leather boot with a 3D printed recycled plastic sole and heel.

 

After attaining my masters, I was able to expand upon my design learnings at Peacock Alley. This allowed me to work directly with designers on specific interior projects, as well as custom orders for customers. This skill set ultimately helped prepare me for my most recent position at Four Hands as Associate Product Developer, Upholstery.