Artist Biography
Emily Ross is a senior at Endicott College, working towards earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Interior Architecture. Emily was born and raised in Lake Grove, New York located on Long Island. As a young girl, she always loved to rearrange spaces and choose materials that best suited the personalities and desires of those that would inhabit it. During her time at Endicott, she has consecutively obtained Dean’s List during all four years, is a member of the Kappa Pi International Art Honor Society, and has completed a semester abroad in Florence, Italy during her junior year. Emily has studied various types of design including residential, commercial, workplace, and healthcare design. She has completed three internship opportunities during her college career including working with a kitchen and bath designer, a design trade showroom, and working alongside a designer that specializes in senior living. Throughout each of these experiences she has gained valuable skills and expertise. Emily is most interested in working in the hospitality design industry. Living on Long Island and being so close to New York City is crucial to her future career as a designer. After graduating and working at a local design firm to gain more knowledge and experience in the eld, she plans to make her way to the city that never sleeps.
Thesis Abstract
Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), part of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), encompasses a variety of neurodevelopmental disorders that affect an individual’s physical, social, intellectual, and communication skills. They have specific types of needs that may not apply to others around them in society. Day habilitation centers
do exist, but they are not stimulating enough to advance the life development for these individuals. Due to a lack of funding as well as a lack of awareness, they remain limited. By designing a day habilitation resource and community center that incorporates concentrated personal development skills focusing on physical capabilities, communication, emotion and behavior control, as well as relationships and interactions with others, the quality of life for individuals with PDD can be massively improved and a strong impact can be made on the surrounding community. This center strives to create a space that encourages acceptance, safety and comfortability, celebrates individuality and distinctiveness, and promotes diverse learning and highlights unique social styles.