Mia is facing forward and smiling. She has dark hair pulled back and wears a black top.
Mia Walls

I’ve been drawn to the arts for as long as I can remember and always knew I wanted a career that allowed me to be creative. In middle school, I began watching home design shows with my mom and fell in love with the idea of becoming an interior designer.

At UNT, I’ve discovered that interior design is about far more than aesthetics — it’s about understanding how people live, work, and connect within a space. One of the best parts of my time at UNT has been the friendships I’ve made along the way. The support and inspiration from my peers have influenced me just as much as the projects I’ve worked on. Looking ahead, I plan to move back home to Austin and begin my career at a design firm.

South Congress Hotel design board with concept statement, concept diagram, color-coded floor plan, and rendering of the lobby bar.

South Congress Hotel
The Austin, Texas, South Congress Hotel design reimagines the hotel’s public spaces as connected, experience-driven environments that reflect the character of the state's capital city. By emphasizing social interaction, local identity, and user experience, the project creates intentional, inviting spaces — a restaurant, lobby bar and lounge and café — that connect to the surrounding community and encourage both visitors and locals to gather and engage.