Pathways
photograph by emily paine
She arrived at Bucknell set on a pre-law track. But a sociology class inspired her to reconsider that plan. “We learned about educational disparities in different parts of the country, and it really interested me,” she says. “It was like I had an awakening.” When a Teach for America recruiter visited campus, “I decided to jump in with both feet.” After graduation, she moved to Boston and spent the next five years teaching seventh-grade math. “It was hard but meaningful work.”
In 2020, the pandemic and a second baby on the way prompted her and husband Jesse Scheimreif ’16 to reassess their goals. “We were grinding, and we realized we wanted a different environment for raising our kids,” she says. So in 2021, they returned to Lewisburg.
The relocation enabled Scheimreif to lean into her lifelong love of interior design. She had never considered it a career option — until now. When her local Lowe’s was hiring a kitchen designer, she went for it. “It was a steep learning curve, but I loved it,” she says. “I knew this is what I wanted to do.”
Scheimreif connected with Bucknell’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which helps aspiring entrepreneurs develop thriving businesses. With the SBDC’s guidance, she launched Highland Design by Chrissy in 2023. From her Lewisburg home office/studio, Scheimreif helps clients transform their spaces into personalized reflections of style and functionality.
“I’m lucky I had the opportunity to do this,” she says. “Taking a big risk to follow my dream wouldn’t have been possible without the support I had.”
Pathways
photograph by emily paine
She arrived at Bucknell set on a pre-law track. But a sociology class inspired her to reconsider that plan. “We learned about educational disparities in different parts of the country, and it really interested me,” she says. “It was like I had an awakening.” When a Teach for America recruiter visited campus, “I decided to jump in with both feet.” After graduation, she moved to Boston and spent the next five years teaching seventh-grade math. “It was hard but meaningful work.”
In 2020, the pandemic and a second baby on the way prompted her and husband Jesse Scheimreif ’16 to reassess their goals. “We were grinding, and we realized we wanted a different environment for raising our kids,” she says. So in 2021, they returned to Lewisburg.
The relocation enabled Scheimreif to lean into her lifelong love of interior design. She had never considered it a career option — until now. When her local Lowe’s was hiring a kitchen designer, she went for it. “It was a steep learning curve, but I loved it,” she says. “I knew this is what I wanted to do.”
Scheimreif connected with Bucknell’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which helps aspiring entrepreneurs develop thriving businesses. With the SBDC’s guidance, she launched Highland Design by Chrissy in 2023. From her Lewisburg home office/studio, Scheimreif helps clients transform their spaces into personalized reflections of style and functionality.
“I’m lucky I had the opportunity to do this,” she says. “Taking a big risk to follow my dream wouldn’t have been possible without the support I had.”