Mississippi College Interior Design Graduates and Faculty Obtain State Certification

MC interior design faculty members Margaret Bateman and Margie Baumann and Art Department Chairman Randy Miley

Good things continue to happen for Mississippi College’s Interior Design Program.

Graduates of the MC program and a handful of interior design instructors on the Clinton campus received state certification during ceremonies at the Old Capitol legislative chambers.

The recognition comes after the Mississippi Legislature approved the certification of interior designers just as state lawmakers did for architects and landscape architects.

Mississippi College Art Department Chairman Randy Miley attended the awards program in Jackson on August 14, and was delighted to share the good news.

MC was well represented among the 41 certified interior designers spotlighted statewide. Interior design professors Margie Baumann and Margaret Bateman are two of the newly certified professionals. Others include four Mississippi College interior design graduates and five current or former adjunct instructors on the Clinton campus.

“It was a great day for this profession and for our Art Department,” Miley said.

Certification awards that day in mid-August were also presented to architects and landscape architects.

Mississippi College’s interior design program is nationally accredited along with over 200 others on campuses across the USA. Mississippi State University, the University of Southern Mississippi and MC are the three accredited interior design programs in the Magnolia State.

MC leaders are delighted.

“Kudos to the Art Department, our wonderful interior design faculty and great students,” said Ron Howard, vice president for academic affairs. “I am also so very proud of all of you and fine adjunct instructors as well.”

Wayne VanHorn, dean of the Mississippi College School of Christian Studies and the Arts, commended interior design’s latest achievement.

“It’s so nice to have a program that is of such excellence and constantly bringing positive recognition to MC,” VanHorn said. Miley and the interior design faculty deserve thanks, he said, “for the great work you continue to do.”

Earlier this summer, the American Society of Interior Designers South Central Chapter honored Mississippi College interior design director Mandy Berdami as the educator of the year. The region spans Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana. MC’s student chapter was lauded as the best in the three Southern states.

The society includes 16,000 practicing interior designers nationwide along with 7,500 students, industry representatives and educators.