Name: Shan Peterson
Position/Title: 5th Year Undergraduate Student at the University of Oregon
Member of IIDA Since: 2021

Why are you a member of IIDA?
I joined IIDA as a student to network with professionals and learn more about the industry. It has served as an invaluable tool in learning how to challenge myself as a designer and communicate with others in the profession as an undergraduate. IIDA has served as a source of inspiration for gaining insight from successful industry professionals. 

 What is your favorite IIDA event?
My favorite is the Student Symposium. It bridges the gap between what we learn in school and how it applies in the workplace. The information shared was beneficial in understanding how to present myself and get a job. 

 What are you currently working on?
I am currently working on my capstone project, Universal Learning. I chose to design an elementary school for students with disabilities in order to promote inclusion in a child’s early years. This project has pushed me to think about design from a variety of user perspectives, understanding that what may be a hindrance to one may be an opportunity for another. 

What is your personal mantra?
Don’t fake it until you make it. Fake it until you become it.

What gets you excited about design?
People. Design, to me, is about the people who will use the space. Understanding the community and user groups motivates me to work harder because what I do has a real impact on their lives. I’m constantly wondering how the decisions I’m making now will affect people’s lives in the future.