Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
Groovystuff Expands Winter Internship Program
December 17,
2014 by in Industry 
Ian Williams from the Industrial Design program at Appalachian State University will join Groovystuff's "Connecting Education with Industry Internship” program.
In addition, Meghan Wilson from the Auburn University Industrial & Graphic Design program will return to the internship program for the winter academic break, Dec. 16-Jan. 9.
The curriculum for this 25 day internship is designed to provide future graduates with real world job experience in the residential home furnishings industry prior to their graduation.
“The program is an excellent fit for students interested in entering the residential home furnishings industry,” said Chris Bruning, president of Groovystuff, who established the program in 2011. “We’re growing by leaps and bounds right now, and the fast paced environment at Groovystuff gives these future graduates a vast range of experience during their internship that will provide them with a competitive edge above their colleagues when they are ready to approach the job market.”
Wilson began her internship experience as a sophomore with Groovystuff in the winter of 2013 and continued her 14-week mentorship during the summer of 2014. Now a junior in the School of Industrial and Graphic Design at Auburn University, Wilson so successfully grasped the interoffice administration system that her role will include management of the new interns coming into the program.
Williams is the fourth intern to participate in the education to industry program. He will participate in a two-stage mentorship at the company’s corporate offices in Dallas, Texas. His 14-week program begins Dec. 16-Jan. 9; and is scheduled for completion May 19-August 8. During this time he will gain on the job training in product design, quality control, customer relations, inside sales support, year-end inventory, first and third quarter marketing strategy as well as participation in the summer 2015 company trade events.
When asked about his internship opportunity, Ian said, “Groovystuff and Appalachian State have had a great relationship over the years through sponsored studios and competitions. I knew that I would really enjoy being a part of their company not only through these successful partnerships, but because their ideals of good design meshed with an approach of sustainability and innovation were values that I personally shared with them.”
“The wonderful relationship that the School of Industrial and Graphic Design at Auburn University has with Groovystuff allowed our students to be exposed to and participate in the High Point Furniture Market in a direct and meaningful way," said Clark Lundell, chair and head of the Industrial & Graphic Design Department at Auburn. "Chris Bruning has not only exposed our students and their designs to the market but also encouraged and brought them into the realm of product development and sales.”