Monday, October 6, 2025
By: Olivia Wilson
The University of Florida Department of Interior Design welcomed back alumna Miriam Ganesh (BDES ’04, MID ’05) this past month, honoring her as the 2025 Distinguished Alumnus in Interior Design.
Ganesh, who serves as director of interior design at RLF in Orlando, has built a career leading impactful healthcare projects across Florida and beyond. She shared some of her personal favorites with students, including the Clinics, Malcom Grow Medical Center, Naval Health Clinic, Health Central Hospital, AdventHealth Nicholson Pavilion in Winter Park, and Fish Memorial Hospital in Orange City.
RLF is an architecture, engineering and interior design firm based in Orlando, known for its work in healthcare, education and cultural facilities. As director of interior design, Ganesh oversees projects that integrate function, aesthetics and innovation to meet the needs of diverse communities.
Returning to campus, Ganesh reflected on her own student experience and the foundation UF gave her to pursue a successful career in design.
“UF did an amazing job of building resiliency in its students, so I was able to go out into the workforce prepared and strong with my skills and also confident that I had what I needed to take to be out in the community and do well with my career,” she said.
Ganesh described the interior design program as uniquely comprehensive, noting how it provided her with confidence that carried over into professional life.
“The program is so complete, especially the interior design program, you walk out and have so many skills that make you marketable to firms,” she said. “I’ve seen other programs, and it’s not always the same.”
In addition to celebrating Ganesh’s career, the event also recognized students in the program with awards for advocacy, innovation, academic excellence and design talent. The recognitions highlighted the school’s commitment to fostering leadership and creativity at every level.
Ganesh offered many words of advice to students, encouraging them to view their careers as a continuous process of growth. She reminded them of the importance of building networks, staying visible, and maintaining clear boundaries between their professional and personal lives.
“What matters is how you respond,” she said. “Every mistake is a lesson learned.”
Honoring Ganesh as this year’s distinguished alumnus reflected the school’s goal of celebrating graduates who have made lasting contributions to the profession. For Ganesh, returning to Gainesville was both a professional milestone and a personal honor.