Morgan Taylor Mitchell

Interior Design, 2018

Founded in 1797, the Franklinton community has a lot of historic relevance to Columbus, Ohio. It is for this reason that it is so sad to see the neighborhood declining in value over time. There are many efforts trying to be made to revitalize this community, but much of it comes from outside sources that do not have the native residents’ best ideas at heart. Part of the problem here is the poverty levels, which occur due to lack of work for residents. It is possible that this is partly due to the lack of education or job training for residents.

Looking at the local school systems, which are some of the worst in the entire city of Columbus, and the potential correlation to the lack of mentorship opportunities for kids beyond primary school, it may be important to address these issues starting with students at the age where they are making big decisions that are impacting the rest of their lives.

My aim is to create a program that caters to the student needs in Franklinton, by providing a mentorship and life skill center for those who are left out by typical community funding. Engaging middle and high school students in a curriculum that is driven by their interests in a design related field will allow them to have authority over their lives and learn entrepreneurship and creative skills that can last them a lifetime.

Several artistic spaces have begun to pop up in Franklinton, such as The Idea Foundry and the Steam Factory at 400 West Rich Street. This new community of maker spaces creates an opportunity for people in the area to explore more creative avenues, and to embrace the idea of career choices in fields that may have never been open to them in the past.

Morgan Mitchell is from the suburbs of Cleveland, OH and will be graduating from Ohio State with her BS in Interior Design in 2018. The summer after her sophomore year she studied abroad in Rome, Italy for a month where she gained the knowledge and inspiration that has and will continue to inspire her design career. She hopes to continue to build upon her design career here in Columbus, or to try something new in California.

View more of her work at here