Located in South Fargo, the newly built Career Innovation Center (CIC) is more than just a building. It’s a hands-on environment designed to encourage exploration, collaboration, and real-world readiness. As a new addition for North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS), the CIC was built from the ground up with a clear goal in mind: to create a space that supports a dynamic mix of students and staff, fostering both learning and connection. With intentional design throughout, the building is equipped to support a new kind of learning, one that blends education with experience.

InterOffice designer Sophie Scraper partnered closely with NDSCS and RLE Architecture to bring this vision into reality. From classrooms to workstations and lounge areas, Sophie guided intentional furniture choices that blend comfort, style, and function.

Flexibility was top of mind throughout the project. The classrooms needed to shift easily — from collaborative group work to individual study, from lectures to hands-on activities. Sophie helped select Huddle Nesting Tables and Motivate Chairs that move effortlessly, offering faculty the freedom to configure the space as they see fit.

Kim Riesterer, director of education and design at RLE Architecture, highlights how this approach makes the space come alive: “The ability to rearrange furniture to fit the moment really supports how students and instructors interact day-to-day. It keeps the space vibrant and practical.”

McKenzie Wessels, interior designer at RLE, agrees with Kim: “Watching these rooms transform depending on who’s using them really shows how important adaptable design is.”

The success of the project is rooted in the collaborative spirit shared by everyone involved. RLE Architecture provided the foundation, while Sophie contributed furniture expertise and navigated the details that made the space functional and beautiful.

“Being in the design field, Kim and McKenzie brought a strong vision,” Sophie says. “My role was to fill in the furniture options, make recommendations, and keep everything aligned with their goals.”

McKenzie found Sophie’s guidance invaluable, especially when it came to weighing costs and alternatives. “She was patient, clear, and always ready with practical solutions.”

Kim valued the hands-on experience too: “Visiting InterOffice’s showroom and seeing options firsthand made choosing so much easier. Sophie’s responsiveness really made the process smooth and enjoyable.”

More than a collection of classrooms and offices, the Career Innovation Center tells a story about growth and adaptability. It’s a place where students of all ages can explore their futures and where staff have the tools they need to support that journey.

Kim puts it simply: “This space is flexible, inviting, and ready to evolve with the community it serves.”

McKenzie adds, “With the sophisticated color palette and branding colors throughout, you just walk in and can tell it’s NDSCS.”

For Sophie and the InterOffice team, helping shape a space that supports a mission and the people behind it is what makes projects like this so rewarding. “This space is going to allow staff and students to have a whole new experience in education.”