After transferring to Colorado State University looking for a fresh start, Jimmy Day designed his experience to grasp every opportunity that helped him grow every step of the way. Day, an outstanding Spring 2024 graduate majoring in interior architecture and design in the Department of Design and Merchandising, has used his CSU experience as the springboard for his future in designing meaningful spaces.
Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, Day began his higher education elsewhere before beginning the transfer process for a fresh start. After discovering CSU’s Interior Architecture and Design Program, Day was welcomed with open arms and has called Fort Collins his college home ever since.
“I was looking for a change in major, something in the realm of the built environment and it just so happens that CSU has one of the best programs for interior architecture and design in the country,” said Day.
Diversity in design
When Day started at CSU, he didn’t know much about interior architecture and design. Naturally, this came with its own challenges and a self-dubbed “much-needed learning curve.” Through the process, Day found a passion for helping people and learned the tremendous impact of how spaces and the way they are designed have an impact on peoples’ lives.
“My professors and mentors pushed me academically to see that passion actualized through my studio projects, such as my senior capstone: The Healing Center for Humanity,” Day shared. “They saw something in me and didn’t give up until that vision was met, and I’m forever grateful for those professors.”
Day has also dealt with hurdles that come with being an African American man at a predominately white institution.
“Being in a setting where not many people look like me, especially in an intense environment such as a university, and walking into a class where there’s a high chance you are the only African American student poses feelings like desertedness and imposter syndrome,” said Day.
Day asked himself questions such as: How did I get here? Am I supposed to be here? And, will I be able to get through? To overcome this, Day utilized spaces and opportunities to meet other students and build his support system.
“I’ve found many lifelong friends through my time here and they definitely helped me get to where I am now,” said Day.
Crafting connections
During the past few years, Day never let any opportunities slip away. Much of his involvement has focused on giving back to the interior architecture and design student community. Day has served as the president of the CSU International Interior Design Association (IIDA) student chapter and as the collections manager for the Design and Merchandising Design Library. In doing so, Day has aided in bridging the gap between students and industry professionals to establish these relationships early in students’ academic careers.
The past two years, Day has participated in MURALS, Multicultural Undergraduate Research Art and Leadership Symposium. This year, Day won first place in the creative arts category for his project titled, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion through Healthcare Design: The Healing Center for Humanity.
Day has also served as a teaching assistant for design classes including Visual Expression of Interior Environments and Studio IV: Interior Architecture and Design. He’s hosted multiple workshops to help with design ideas and software competency spanning across all grade levels to share as much knowledge as possible with his student community.
Day has also volunteered in the Fort Collins community by building a “little library” for the Samaritan House in North Fort Collins to “aid in providing literacy for the homeless community.”
“It was a nice way of taking what I’ve learned in school and using it to give back,” he said.
In addition to being recognized by CSU for his exceptional work, Day was recently recognized nationally in METROPOLIS’ Future 100 as one of the top interior architecture and design students in the United States and Canada.
“Being recognized for my student work in the design for the built environment is something I hold highly, especially for all the hard work I’ve put in during my time at CSU,” he said. “I’ve learned and grown as a person from when I started in the IAD program in 2020 to now. It makes me proud to realize all the sacrifices of working during breaks to get ahead, being away from family and friends, and the long hours of design were all worth it.”
Future plans
As Day’s chapter at CSU comes to a close, he shares that he will miss CSU’s many activities the most.
“Being active both inside and outside is one of my favorite pastimes and it’s nice being on a campus with many things to get into outside of class without having to look too hard to find them,” said Day. “It also helps that the campus is surrounded by a beautiful natural environment with more opportunities for adventure.”
After graduation, Day will continue designing and will further develop his passion of designing for human health and wellness in the built environment. Day has accepted a job working as an architectural designer for TreanorHL, an architectural planning firm in Denver. He will specialize in their healthcare studio working on projects such as hospitals, rehabilitation and wellness centers, and specialized health facilities.
Day also notes that he will miss being around his classmates in design environments as they have always inspired him to turn his ideas into reality.
“I will miss being around my peers in design who always inspired me to push my ideas no matter how unorthodox they may seem and being a part of the high quality of student work that is done throughout the program,” said Day.
The Department of Design and Merchandising is part of CSU’s College of Health and Human Sciences.