The Gulf Coast Community Design Studio is located in Biloxi, Mississippi and is a research and professional service program of Mississippi State University College of Architecture, Art and Design. Since its establishment following Hurricane Katrina the Design Studio has worked with many local and national partners to provide planning, landscape architecture and architecture services to communities and non-profit organizations along the Gulf Coast. The Design Studio’s work has evolved from rebuilding to long-term resiliency and is recognized as a national leader in Public Interest practice. In 2010 the design studio created the Public Design Certificate to provide a program for interns to work on a range of community-based design projects and to get graduate level course credits for study and research in public interest design. The Design Studio is looking to hire two Public Design interns with an anticipated start date of February 1, 2021. Applicants must apply online at https://explore.msujobs.msstate.edu/cw/en-us/job/499655/intern.

The Public Design Certificate program combines work experience with research and study in community-based planning and design practice. The qualifications are a degree in landscape architecture, urban planning, urban design, or architecture. Public Design Interns work on a range of community planning and design projects for three-quarters of the time and receive graduate level course credit from Mississippi State University for research and study for one-quarter of the time. Interns work under the direction of Gulf Coast Community Design Studio professional staff and have many opportunities to engage in the community and work with various partner organizations. The intern period is at least one year and can be planned for up to two years. The aim of the program is for emerging planning and design professionals to develop practical and leadership skills along with an understanding of public interest design.