EVIT sets foundation for alum’s interior design career

As a junior designer, Breanna Bright works with clients to infuse style into their day-to-day lives. She does this with a keen attention to detail, a skill she developed as a student in the interior design and merchandising program at the East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT).

“Looking back, I really enjoyed the freedom of discovery and being hands on,” said Bright, now 26, of her high school years at EVIT. “Really digging in and learning to hand-draft or make models of homes taught us the importance of attention to detail in a way we wouldn’t achieve in any other program.”

The interior design and merchandising track is one of over 40 career training programs offered by EVIT at two central campuses in Mesa. High school students who reside in 11 East Valley school districts attend EVIT tuition-free; adults pay tuition, with financial aid available in some programs.

Bright completed the EVIT interior design program and graduated from Highland High School in Gilbert in 2013 and then went on to the interior design program at Mesa Community College, where she earned an associate degree. After graduation, she started out as a basic sales member in furnishing and then a design associate at a tile and stone shop.

“This is where I really got my foot in the door as I helped several designers in the industry spec materials for homes,” Bright said. “I was able to network and land a job at a small design firm in Scottsdale, eventually finding a home as a junior designer at Wiseman and Gale.”

At Wiseman and Gale Interiors, a high-end residential design firm in Scottsdale, Bright has the opportunity to be involved in the entire building process, from construction planning to furnishing and accessorizing.

“Our presentations consist of floor plans, sketches, elevations, furniture, fabric and finish samples, as well as wall finishes,” she said. “In some projects, we furnish everything from flatware to bed linens.”

“It is hard to narrow down what is my favorite part of the process; I am truly in love with every step,” she added. “I do have to say that the reveal of a finished home is the most gratifying part. Seeing the finished product and the elation of the client at the first walk-through is sentimental in so many ways.”

Bright credits EVIT with giving her a solid foundation as a start to her interior design career. The interior design program at EVIT introduces students to technical knowledge and skills. They also learn elements and principles of design, interior fabrics and textiles, use of color and texture, retail and visual merchandising, floor space planning, rendering and chief architect rendering.

“Having that collaborative environment [at EVIT] helped expand my knowledge of what is available in design,” Bright said. “There was never a project where ‘no’ was an answer. The possibilities were endless.”

Bright said the training EVIT provides allows students to move up quickly in the field of their choice.

“EVIT and my incredible mentor [interior design instructor] Kim Foulger have been the foundation of success in my career,” she said. “Every second of the program was worth it.”

EVIT students have a 98% high school graduation rate, two out of three go on to college and approximately 94% are in jobs related to their training, college or the military within a year of completing their program. Enrollment for 2021-22 is under way. To learn more about enrolling, visit https://www.evit.com/enroll.

Breanna Bright’s career path:

• Completed EVIT interior design and merchandising program and graduated from Highland High School in 2013
• Earned associate degree at Mesa Community College
• Worked at a tile and stone shop
• Became a junior designer at Wiseman and Gale Interiors
• Pursued goal to work her way up at Wiseman and Gale Interiors

How to enroll in high school programs at EVIT:

• Complete and submit application online at https://www.evit.com/enroll.
• Parents or legal guardians of new students will need an active email account to access and use the online registration system.
• Upload attendance record, discipline record, current unofficial transcripts and proof of immunizations.
• Admissions office will inform students via email once application is approved or if more information is needed.
• EVIT is for all high school students – from public, charter, private or home-schooling programs – who reside in of the following 11 East Valley school districts: Apache Junction, Cave Creek, Chandler, Fountain Hills, Gilbert, Higley, J.O. Combs, Mesa, Queen Creek, Scottsdale and Tempe.
• For more information, call 480-461-4108.

How to enroll in adult programs at EVIT: