Sarah Clabo, a 2019 graduate of the Anderson University School of Interior Design, works for SED-IA Design in Taipei, Taiwan.
Since she moved to Taiwan in Nov. 2019, Clabo has learned to adjust to thinking metric and learning Chinese. But she says those adjustments have been a “fun challenge.”
“My firm is ranked in the top 10 firms here, and with that comes a high bar of excellence to perform at and a legacy to continue,” Clabo said. “God has abundantly blessed me with a city I love and company that cares about my personal growth, not just the outcome of our projects.”
Among the projects Clabo has been a part of have been the Nangang Transit Center and Neihu BOT E-Sports Incubator Competition.
“The projects I get to work on still feel surreal to me; I didn’t expect to work on tech-forward skyscrapers and such luxurious residential towers this early in my career. Some days it does feel like I bit off more than I can chew, but I know I am growing so much faster due to the constant new opportunities and working outside my comfort zone,” Clabo said.
The School of Interior Design prepared Clabo to jump into a really competitive architecture firm, providing a solid foundation in design and a well-polished portfolio.
“Studying Interior Design at Anderson has allowed me to apply my love for details, organization and excellence in my design solutions,” said Clabo. “I have grown and refined my skills through this program, which helped to open the door for me to work abroad.”
Clabo was featured speaker at the 2021 gathering this past spring, an event organized by the School of Interior Design.
Her advice to others considering an interior design career is “try to find something you’re eager to learn about, some specialty or aspect of the design process… there needs to be some aspect that energizes you.”