Anna Pap

Student

“I believe that we all need to learn from the old masters. I use them as a stepping stone to develop as a designer.”

For Anna Pap the return to college to pursue interior design has been a dream come true. Her interest in the field dates back to her teenage years. But when she emigrated from Hungary in 1971, a degree in accounting seemed “more practical. But after all the years of working in accounting, I knew I had a creative side that always showed but needed to be educated,” Anna says.

Still working part-time in her first career, Anna has been an interior design student at SMC for the past six semesters and is now about to transfer to Cal State Long Beach. She feels that SMC has encouraged her to become more well-rounded as a designer. “What I enjoy, besides the interior design program, is that the supporting fields— such as architecture and fine arts—are also available to me,” says Anna. Her list of related courses includes art history, drawing, watercolor and architecture.

Together with three other students, Anna has recently been involved in designing the interiors of the new second story of the Student Center building. The group planned the student government office areas, the dean’s and secretary’s offices and the lobby. “I was lucky to get to work on a real project,” says Anna. “It’s going to be helpful when I go out to find a job. I’ve now actually designed something.”

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