Seventeen-year-old Graysen Stockton traveled from Florida to attend two design courses at Raffles Milano, giving her a practical way to explore Product Design and Interior Design before deciding which academic direction might suit her best.
When Graysen and her parents contacted PRODIREKT and Verbalists Education, she already had a serious interest in design. However, choosing a future university subject at 17 is not easy, particularly when two related fields both seem appealing.
After reviewing the available options with the family, we recommended combining two summer courses at Raffles Milano: Product Design and Interior Design.
The purpose was not simply to give Graysen an additional week in Milan, although she certainly loved that part too. It allowed her to experience two different ways of thinking and working before making a much bigger academic decision.
Product Design One Week, Interior Design the Next
During Product Design, Graysen worked with objects, function, sketches, visual development, and design software. The following week, Interior Design shifted her attention toward space, materials, light, atmosphere, and the way people experience the environments around them.
The two fields are closely connected, but the work itself feels different. By attending both courses, Graysen did not have to rely only on program descriptions or assumptions. She could try the assignments, use the tools, speak with lecturers, and notice which type of creative work felt more natural.
That is exactly why carefully selected summer courses can be useful when a young person is still exploring future bachelor’s degree options. They do not force an early decision, but they can make that decision much better informed.
By her second week, Graysen was already talking about how much she had learned, the friendships she had made, and how quickly Milan had begun to feel familiar.
“I love Milan, and I don’t want to leave anytime soon.”
Learning Beyond the Raffles Studio
The experience extended well beyond the classroom.
Graysen and the other participants visited Febal Casa, an Italian company known for kitchens and coordinated home interiors, and Flexform, a family-owned Italian furniture brand particularly recognized for its sofas and understated contemporary design.
These visits gave the group a closer look at how design ideas move beyond sketches and software into materials, production, showrooms, branding, and real living environments.
A visit to La DoubleJ offered another perspective. The group began at the brand’s boutique on Via Sant’Andrea and continued to its headquarters, learning more about the creative thinking, homeware collections, and business behind its recognizable visual identity.
The visit ended with a meditation session on the company rooftop, probably not something Graysen expected to find on a design course, but precisely the kind of moment that made her Milan experience different.
There was also time for summer evenings, new friendships, and some serious Italian gelato research.
Why PRODIREKT Recommended Both Design Courses
Academic advising should involve more than sending a student a list of programs.
Our role was to understand what Graysen was interested in, where she was still uncertain, and which experience could help her move closer to a genuine decision. In this case, attending both courses gave her a useful comparison between designing objects and designing spaces.
Rather than asking her to choose too early, we helped create an experience through which she could begin forming her own answer.
Graysen returned to Florida with new skills, new friends, and a much clearer understanding of what studying design could actually involve.
Explore the Design Courses Graysen Attended
Could you see yourself developing a product concept one week and rethinking an entire interior the next?
Explore the Product Design and Interior Design summer courses Graysen attended at Raffles Milano. They can be taken separately, but combining them can be particularly useful for students who want a broader introduction to design before selecting a future study direction.
Through our Milan partner, Sportech Academy, PRODIREKT and Verbalists Education also help students and families navigate a wider selection of summer options. These include business, Engineering in Motorsport, Automotive Design, medicine, AC Milan football, and other academic and career-focused areas.
Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree Opportunities at Raffles Milano
PRODIREKT works closely with Raffles Milano and provides expert guidance on its bachelor’s and master’s study options, application process, portfolio preparation, interviews, tuition, and special scholarship opportunities available to eligible students applying through us.
For applicants interested in continuing beyond a summer course, Raffles Milano offers accredited three-year Bachelor’s degree programs in Product Design and Interior Design. The programs are practical and project-based, with strong links to Milan’s professional design environment.
Qualified applicants applying through PRODIREKT and the Verbalists Education & Language Network may also be considered for special financial advantages. These can include International Student Aid and an additional tuition benefit for students who first complete an eligible Raffles Milano summer course before continuing to undergraduate studies. Availability and eligibility are assessed individually, and the financial benefits may total up to €7,000.
Hear Graysen share how studying Product Design and Interior Design at Raffles Milano helped shape her future direction
Considering a summer design course or a full degree at Raffles Milano?
Submit the PRODIREKT application so our academic advising team can review your interests, background, study goals, and possible scholarship opportunities before recommending the most suitable next step.
PRODIREKT owns the Verbalists Education & Language Network and is a leading academic advising and student recruiting group. We offer unbiased and expert counselling to students wishing to study in Spain, Canada, USA, UK, Australia, Germany, Italy, Malta, France, Hungary, and many other popular study abroad destinations. Built on a long-standing reputation and a strong ethical approach, PRODIREKT is widely recognized as one of the most credible and trusted names in language education, career coaching, and academic advising.
Discover more from PRODIREKT
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.