Digs: Madjid Tavana

By Jen Colletta
Collegian Editor
April 5, 2006

Dr. Madjid Tavana, professor of management, remodeled his office last year. He’s taught at La Salle for 25 years and got tired of the “boring, white” walls in the office. With a lot of work and some blue paint, Tavana transformed his office, showcasing his talents and interests.

When you enter the office in College Hall, his appreciation for the color blue is apparent. All four walls are dark blue on top, with black on the bottom.
“Blue reminds me of space,” Tavana said.

For the past six summers, Tavana has served as a Faculty Fellow at NASA’s Johnson Space Center and Kennedy Space Center. This summer, he’ll be working for the Air Force Reasearch Lab.

His passion for space exploration is evident through the unique decoration of his office. On the front door is a sign proclaiming “Astronaut Crossing,” and the entire room carries out the space theme.

There are over 20 framed space posters, awards and memorabilia covering the walls. From a poster signed by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to his 2005 NASA Space Act Award, Tavana’s office unites the past with the present. He even has a flag he received in 2003 that was aboard the shuttle Columbia’s last successful mission.

“When I come to the office, I like to have a nice, quiet and relaxing place,” Tavana said.

His desk and the two chairs that sit before it are black. A small, black table, plated with glass is situated in between the chairs and holds several model space shuttles.

Tavana also dabbles in art, which led him to create the interesting color combination in his office. While some of the items in his office are priceless artifacts, he found most of the matching, chic furniture at Ikea.

Tavana’s office is just one example of a room that completely describes its owner by its decoration, while remaining conducive to a work environment.

collettaj1@lasalle.edu