Fall — 2009

Ari McCaskill

Interior Design

“I had a singing class with Diana Zaslove, and she’s a powerhouse. But I was always surprised by how extremely patient she could be with her students.”

In his first year at SMC, Ari McCaskill—late of Brooklyn, New York—reports real happiness over finding his way to the College. “Of all the colleges that I’ve been to, SMC is the best-organized, and the professors are very down-to-earth. They’re completely receptive and interesting, and they always want to know where students’ heads are at. They’re not just teaching at you. They really want you to interact with the whole learning process and feel involved.

Ari says, “People who come to SMC should do one thing above all else: Explore! Take some interesting classes that might complement your major, like the singing class I had with Professor Zaslove. If you don’t know exactly the direction you want for your life, exploration is the way to find yourself. And I think that SMC gives you every opportunity to do just that.” But, though Ari is a totally creative guy with plenty of curiosity, he has no second thoughts about where his life is going to lead him.

“Interior design is just what I’ve always wanted to do. When I moved out here, in fact, I’d already started my own small design firm. But I wanted to learn more,” he continues, “about shaping environments, color schemes, spatial planning, and fine furniture within interiors. That’s my forte.” Ari states that “making the transition to LA took a little adjustment, because everyone is so laid-back here, and I’m used to the ‘rat race.’ But now I’m accustomed to having lower levels of stress here, and I may have to readjust when I get back to New York. But no matter: I think my future clients will be impressed that I can present them with a degree from SMC.”

Back