As the online Interior Design master’s degree program continues to flourish at Fairfield University, Program Director Robert A. Hardy ASID, IDEC, NCIDQ, is proud to announce that registration numbers have doubled since last summer. The pool of successful alumni continues to grow both locally and nationally, and with that success comes opportunities for Hardy to incorporate alumni events into the curriculum.

One such event was a seminar series hosted by alumna Beth Krupa, Allied ASID, Green AP, who received her professional certificate from Fairfield. This past March, she welcomed program participants to her company, Beth Krupa Interiors (BKI), LLC, in Greenwich.

"It was an honor to host Fairfield University's Interior Design ‘soon-to-be-graduates’ and share the different aspects of running an interior design business,” said Krupa. “Students brought their curiosity, dedication, and eagerness to learn.”

Krupa hosted the educational seminar at her company’s headquarters, setting up six stations staffed by interior designers from BKI so that students could learn the ins and outs of interior design business. Roughly 20 local students rotated through the informational stations, which included: principal and CEO Beth Krupa, who discussed strategic direction, finances, profit and loss, operations, and employee management; interior designer Nancy Wright, who reviewed schematic and conceptual design using technology; design associate & project coordinator Andrea Wintergerst, who presented renderings and AI for Design; interior designer Sarah Kennedy Dolce, who reviewed second-meeting “homework” and design presentations; Trish Kirsch of Luxe Magazine, who discussed advertising; and BK Home Boutique, which focused on retail.

"The event at Beth Krupa's studio was a great opportunity to meet fellow students,” said Jeramey Reamer. “I got to see both students and faculty who I had taken courses with via Zoom — now we were meeting in real life. BKI was an excellent place to meet industry professionals and learn more about the interior design career field.”

Hardy explained that the program hosts a weekly seminar series with interior designers, many of whom have a connection to the program, and that Krupa had gone above and beyond his expectations for an amazing in-person educational experience for his students.

Since classes are online, graduate students have joined from as far as Ghana, Texas, Colorado, California and up and down the East Coast. As the program continues to grow, Hardy said they are looking into opportunities to engage those students who aren't within easy driving distance to campus in similar in-person seminars in their areas.