Erin Teich

Interior Design, 2019

The Ability Center is an educational resource hub for young adults with Down syndrome who are transitioning out of high school. Located in the emerging arts district of Franklinton, this center provides job training, work experience, and recreational classes for students. Community engagement is encouraged through the inclusion of a public café, open art gallery, and Advocacy Center.

Due to the high poverty rate in this area, local high schools lack funding to provide adequate educational resources for students. This causes special education programs to suffer and students requiring extra help receive minimal assistance. By partnering with these schools, The Ability Center can provide essential transitional resources for these students.

Erin Teich is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design. Over the past four years she has been highly involved in IIDA, BuckeyeThon, and Special Olympics. Her travel abroad and internship experiences have inspired her love for design and have opened her eyes to new cultures and ways of life. With a passion for social impact design, she hopes to use her design skills to improve the world around her.