Valley Cottage Resident Advances In National Contest

From Berkeley College: The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) recently recognized Berkeley College student Ashley Tortorella as a semi-finalist in its Student Portfolio Competition. The national competition evaluates submissions on conceptual thought, content and record of achievement.

Ms. Tortorella, a resident of Valley Cottage, NY, is pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Interior Design at Berkeley College. As a semi-finalist, she attended SCALE: The ASID National Student Summit, held in March in New York City. Ms. Tortorella said she has gravitated toward art and design since a young age.

“I love to create spaces that feel luxurious, modern and functional,” she said. “I hope that my designs convey the time and effort that went into creating them.”

Professor Jeffery McCullough, Interior Design, School of Professional Studies, serves as faculty advisor to the Berkeley College student chapter of ASID, and supported Ms. Tortorella in her submission to the Student Portfolio Competition. As a 20-year veteran of the interior design field, Mr. McCullough said it was challenging and exciting to assemble an exemplary submission.

“It was a process to take a portfolio that included all of Ashley’s work and narrow that down to the best examples of who she is as a designer,” Mr. McCullough said. “I love witnessing the moment when a student feels the excitement about learning the material we are covering in a class. I love seeing the light bulb go off and the connections happening.”

Ms. Tortorella recently accepted a position as a junior designer with Rajni Alex Design in Bronxville, NY. She previously completed an internship with Lily Renee Interior DZn in Bergen County, NJ, where she received hands-on experience in sketching, rendering, 3D modeling and other professional skills.

Ms. Tortorella will graduate from Berkeley College in August 2019. Her advice to emerging design students is to embrace their creativity. “Having a creative mind in this field is so important, and can make you stand out from the crowd,” Ms. Tortorella said. “Don’t be afraid to try something new – and if a design doesn’t work, try again."