Location: Fremont, California
Position, Organization: Trim Engineer, Tesla
Major/Graduation: Apparel and Textile Design, 2013

Current Role/Responsibilities: I work on a team dedicated to designing and developing seat trim for all Tesla vehicles. I help to make our seats production ready in regards to appearance, fit, and durability.   

How your major prepared you for success? Part of my job includes working with patterns and manipulating them to fit to various contours and shapes. The pattern-making and draping classes I took at MSU helped me prepare for this job because I am able to use those same skills in a way different from apparel but using the same concepts and methods. I work with various types of materials, including leathers and cutting-edge material. My textile classes helped me understand fiber strengths as well as flammability, color fastness, and various other material characteristics. We are encouraged to think outside the box and use our own experiences and knowledge when creating a new product to make it successful.

My art and apparel background help with generating new ideas that are nontraditional from classic automotive techniques.My art and apparel background help with generating new ideas that are nontraditional from classic automotive techniques.

Advice to Spartans interested in following in your footsteps? Don’t give up, find a major that you love and work hard at it. Follow what you love and be patient during the process. I was originally Pre-med when starting at MSU but decided to follow my heart, which was design and art, and it has provided so many opportunities since making that transition. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box when job searching and applying your skills.

What should current students take advantage of while at MSU? Take advantage of the community at MSU. The friendships made both in and out of class and the sense of home at MSU are unbeatable.