Joanna Chenaille, a Marymount University junior from Vacaville, California, had a poster presentation on display at the Passport to Universal Design-athon at Mount Ida College on March 18-19. Chenaille developed the poster in collaboration with MU Assistant Professor of Interior Design Moira Gannon Denson.
The work was based on the Aging Well By Design-athon held at Marymount last spring, which included talks from design experts and workshops. Chenaille, an interior design major, was involved in that event and helped develop empathy exercises in which participants did things like read newspapers with an iPad application that simulated having cataracts or walking with beans in their shoes to simulate walking difficulties.
“For these things to work you really need to get students on board, and Joanna has been one of those students who helps take charge and get things done,” said Denson.
Chenaille said she’s pursuing her degree in interior design because she wants to help people.
“If you think about it, we spend a majority of our time inside,” she said. “It pays off to have a functional, nice interior that’s also aesthetically pleasing. Often people don’t understand how much the interior can affect your outlook on life and your experience. We interact more with the inside of the building than the outside.”
She’s happy that she chose Marymount.
“The program here tries to engage all of the students in multiple ways,” Chenaille added. “I’m just really appreciative of the time and thoughtfulness of the professors to get students the most experience they can.”
Denson, Chenaille and others are now at work on an Active by Design-athon planned for March 31 to April 2 at Marymount. For more information on that event, go to marymount.edu/designathon.
Photo caption
Joanna Chenaille, a Marymount University junior from Vacaville, California, had a poster presentation on display at the Passport to Universal Design-athon at Mount Ida College on March 18-19. Chenaille developed the poster in collaboration with MU Assistant Professor of Interior Design Moira Gannon Denson.
