Design Ambassadors in the College of Design are student leaders who are passionate about collaborating and promoting the design life here at NC State. Their top goal is to provide accurate information about our college and to engage and share their experience with prospective students and their parents, alumni, and industry partners.
Design Ambassadors practice leadership and communication skills with various activities and events throughout the year. From Open House to giving tours through the College of Design, our prospective students and families appreciate learning from Design Ambassadors and their experiences.
Want to learn more about the student’s experience here at the College of Design? Please email design-ambassadors@ncsu.edu to connect with them!
Meet the Design Ambassadors
Farah Baytam
Major:
Art + Design
Minor:
Business Administration
Favorite thing about your major?
My favorite thing about my major is the ability to convey meaning and storytelling through images. The beauty of design is that everything is a matter of interpretation. As opposed to many other subjects, there is no right or wrong answer in design which creates room for unique creative expression, and allows the audience to draw their own conclusions regardless if they align with the designer’s intention.
What experience do you identify with?
Transfer, International, Multicultural
Career Aspiration
My greatest aspiration is to play a pivotal role in shaping the Arab Animation Industry. As an Arab, Muslim woman, I aspire to tell the stories of my people by reflecting our cultural values, customs, and themes. It is my intention to create animated stories which resonate with people like me and authentically portray them in a light that is both humorous and informative.
Nimet Betul Karatas
Major:
Art + Design
Favorite thing about your major?
I love having other creative people around you at all times to learn from them. I am beyond grateful for the COD resources: having a studio space with access to laser cutters, the wood & metal shop, cameras/photography studios, various types of printers, and digital labs.
What experience do you identify with?
International, Multicultural, Study Abroad
Career Aspiration
My valuable personal goal is to promote mindfulness, calm and optimism through design solutions to overconsumption, overproduction, and overstimulation.
Grace Burrows
Major:
Industrial Design
Minor:
Accounting and Business Administration
Favorite thing about your major?
I love that my ideas are able to come alive digitally or as tangible prototypes. Additionally, I appreciate the exposure we get to other students’ work and creative processes.
What experience do you identify with?
Internships, Study Abroad
Career Aspiration
After graduation, I hope I am able to work for a company who designs consumer technology, furniture, or household goods. Ultimately I aspire to blend my passion for design and business and create my own product or product line.
Aidan DeMeo
Major:
Environmental Design in Architecture
Favorite thing about your major?
Architecture allows me to deeply appreciate and connect with the spaces I inhabit, while recognizing how every detail of design shapes meaningful experiences for others. Through this, I am constantly growing with my work, gaining new insight and always looking for more to experience and understand.
What experience do you identify with?
Transfer
Career Aspiration
I aspire to be part of the new generation of leading architects, designing residential architecture that creates homes for families to enjoy while serving the greater good of society.
Ethan Hall
Major:
Environmental Design in Architecture
Favorite thing about your major?
I enjoy the amount of creativity found within architecture and how it intersect with other aspects of design.
What experience do you identify with?
Internships, Scholarships
Career Aspiration
I look forward to pursuing my architectural license and further developing my understanding of design from school.
Nicholas Hatcher
Major:
Art + Design
Favorite thing about your major?
The collaborative nature of the program allows me to work closely with other designers through exchanging ideas and providing feedback. Exposure to the creative community, my friends and peers inspires me and has reinforced my identity as a designer.
What experience do you identify with?
Internships, Transfer, Study Abroad
Career Aspiration
I aspire to work in video production, gaining experience at a design agency, with the long-term goal of pursuing entertainment projects that blend my interests in editing, cinematography, and virtual production. I’m eager to keep growing as a designer and creating work that resonates with others.
Tyler Hinson
Major:
Environmental Design in Architecture
Favorite thing about your major?
My favorite part of studying Architecture has been being able to understand conceptual design through the process of 2D and 3D visualization along with the small, tight-knit community you gain along the way.
What experience do you identify with?
Multicultural, Scholarships, Internships
Career Aspiration
My career aspiration is to become a fully licensed architect and work in firms that focus on inclusivity and diverse thinking. I hope to one day be able to become a Principal Architect and run my own firm that focuses on projects that combat social issues for the betterment of our communities.
Jeihan Indrawan
Major:
Industrial Design
Favorite thing about your major?
The versatility of the field and wide range of skills it requires.
What experience do you identify with?
Multicultural, Internships, Study Abroad
Career Aspiration
Industrial Designer
Brady Klein
Major:
Industrial Design
Favorite thing about your major?
I love the creative freedom that comes with the prompts for each project, along with how the professors teach you everything from the beginning of your educational career!
What experience do you identify with?
Out-of-State, Study Abroad
Career Aspiration
Product Designer
Chloe Loflin
Major:
Graphic & Experience Design
Minor:
Business Administration
Favorite thing about your major?
I really enjoy that Graphic & Experience let’s you start getting professional experiences from the moment you start your major specific courses. The ability to work closely with NC State and Marbles Kids Museum on projects that actually get made or used while having people to guide you has been really insightful.
What experience do you identify with?
LGBTQIA+, Multicultural
Career Aspiration
I want to work as a UX designer in the DC Metro Area at some point after I graduate and possibly pursue a Master’s degree.
Zaya McFarland
Major:
Industrial Design
Favorite thing about your major?
With my exploration of interlocking toys during my youth having provided the (literal) building blocks for my interest in Industrial Design, I treasure the many opportunities offered by my major to conceptualize designs both on the screen and in the workshop—all of which inspire the same feelings of curiosity and creativity that defined my childhood.
What experience do you identify with?
Honors/Scholars
Career Aspiration
Product Designer
Lizzy Novelli
Major:
Design Studies
Minor:
Business Administration
Favorite thing about your major?
My favorite thing about design studies is the ability to explore different parts of design in my classes. There is freedom to research a variety of methods, practices, and ideas related to design to satisfy a certain problem or project.
What experience do you identify with?
Multicultural, Study Abroad
Career Aspiration
Marketing or Advertising
Siena Rohrbach
Major:
Graphic & Experience Design
Minor:
Psychology
Favorite thing about your major?
My favorite thing about my major is collaborating with my classmates and outside companies. It gives me a good taste of what it would be like to actually work in the field and work with others. I believe that good design is impossible without appropriate collaboration.
What experience do you identify with?
Out-of-State, LGBTQIA+, Internships
Career Aspiration
Outdoor Graphic Design and Teaching
Katilyn Totten
Major:
Design Studies
Minor:
Business Administration
Favorite thing about your major?
My major gives me the flexibility to explore a variety of design disciplines, allowing me to examine how visual communication influences social norms across different cultures. This broad perspective allows me to contribute fresh, thoughtful, and culturally informed insights to the branding industry by critically examining how design influences real-world experiences and outcomes. It also gives me the freedom to pursue my personal interests and think more critically about how design affects diverse communities.
What experience do you identify with?
Honors/Scholars and Multicultural
Career Aspiration
I want to become a Graphic Designer with a focus on marketing and brand design. I’m passionate about creating visual identities that communicate a brand’s message effectively and resonate with diverse audiences. By combining creativity with strategic thinking, I aim to craft compelling designs that elevate brand presence and drive engagement by examining how visual elements influence individual perspectives.
Gargi Wadodkar
Major:
Environmental Design in Architecture
Favorite thing about your major?
I enjoy the learning and application of designing architecture. There are amazing people that I’ve met. College resource’s and professor’s give you are a great stepping stone for a future in architecture or other design field’s. I love pushing myself to create interesting projects that have the potential for a larger impact; seeing how architecture is more than just designing and building, but also a way for community growth, sustainability, and equity enhancement.
What experience do you identify with?
Honors/Scholars, Multicultural, Study Abroad, Transfer
Career Aspiration
Practicing Architecture and Adjunct Professor
