Claire Hamilton

Interim Program Director Assistant Professor of Interior Design Email:claire.hamilton@usm.edu Website: myusm.net history of furniture & decorative arts, contract design B.S., University of Southern Mississippi M.S., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Claire Hamilton graduated from The University of Southern Mississippi in 1988 and
pursued a career in commercial interior design. Her area of expertise is in the contract furniture market, where she has 13 years experience as a project manager and space planner. Hamilton joined the Interior Design Program as an assistant professor in the
fall 2003.

Hamilton received a M.S. degree in 1993 from Virginia Tech, during which time she was a graduate teaching assistant, responsible for the two-dimensional design studio courses in the Interior Design Program. Her area of research focused on designing for the elderly, with an emphasis on the design of Alzheimer's facilities and methods for controlling wandering behavior. While at Virginia Tech, she received the Lackawanna Leather/ IBD Graduate Fellowship for her research.

As a designer, Hamilton has practical design experience in dealing with state and federal projects to include state universities, the United States Air Force and NASA. Her medical experience involves the design of nurse stations, ambulatory surgery facilities, cancer centers and hospital pharmacies. Other projects have included the planning of corporate offices for Seagate Technology and the Oklahoma Guaranteed Student Loan Program.

Prior to her arrival at Southern Miss, Hamilton was employed as a local sales executive for a contract furniture dealership based in Jackson, Miss. During this time, she worked with the DuBard School for Language Disorders at Southern Miss in the selection and installation of the furniture for their new facilities.

Hamilton is actively involved in the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and has served as co-chair for the Gulf Coast District and as the representative to the board for the South Central Region Board of Directors. She is currently serving as the Director of Professional Development for the region. Hamilton has been awarded several ASID awards to include a Presidential Citation, a Gold Design Award, and an ASID Service Award. In addition, the student chapter at Southern Miss has been recognized as one of the most outstanding student chapters in the country two times under her leadership.

Hamilton teaches the introductory interior design course and the furniture history course. Studio courses include: Interior Design II, Interior Design III, Contract Design I, and Contract Design II . She has also taught CAD and Application of Design Theory.