2021 IIDA Chapter Award Winners

May 28, 2021 By IIDA HQ

From supporting campus centers and building chapter connections, to leadership programming and celebrating member accomplishments, our chapter honorees went above and beyond to support their members and communities.

By IIDA HQ May 28, 2021

The IIDA Chapter Awards recognize chapters for program excellence, and the exceptional efforts and contributions IIDA Chapters make to the interior design profession. Our 2021 honorees represent chapters that went above and beyond last year to support their members and communities through a difficult year. Please join us in congratulating our honorees, IIDA Mid-America, IIDA New England, IIDA Ohio Kentucky, and IIDA South Florida.

To align students on campuses with the profession and deepen our relationships with one another.

IIDA Mid-America Campus Relations Committee mission statement

IIDA MID-AMERICA: Campus Relations Through a Pandemic

IIDA Mid-America spent 2020 with a focus on student members—both in an effort to reaffirm for professional members the importance of including these members, and for students to recognize the importance and benefits of being engaged in IIDA.

With a renewed focus on student engagement, IIDA Mid-America saw one of its most successful years of student engagement throughout Kansas and Western Missouri, beginning two new campus relationships, and recruiting a new Campus Center. Through consistent programming that shifted virtual and relationship building, the chapter interacted, engaged, and related to their student members in new ways, providing a path towards successful careers.

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While many people wanted to practice public speaking, I wanted to practice leading a collaborative team, and this project allowed me to do that. Although a lot of work, this project gave me the most beneficial experience out of the ELN program.

Catherine K. ELN CLASS OF 2020

IIDA NEW ENGLAND: Emerging Experience Series

IIDA New England’s Emerging Experience Series is an annual program that started in 2013 to provide emerging leaders with an opportunity to hone and develop leadership skills to take their careers to the next level. In 2020 the chapter found that they would need to rethink their in-person programming, and decided to push the program to new boundaries providing participants with the opportunity to create the programming collaboratively in small groups. The end presentation is to be in partnership with their Professional Development committee as a series of events in November 2021.

Teams are responsible for identifying a topic that is compelling to the interior design community at large, and develop a 45-minute webinar to provide professional development opportunities to IIDA Members. This pivot was so successful in providing additional leadership development opportunities, that it is now part of the permanent structure of the program.

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I attended the IIDA Get Connected event in 2020 and so enjoyed my time at the event. In fact, I created some relationships that night that I have continued to grow into 2021. It was a very well-orchestrated event and I had a wonderful time learning more about IIDA.

Megan Padgett

IIDA OHIO/KENTUCKY: Get Connected Event

IIDA Ohio/Kentucky recognized that one of the roadblocks they face in achieving a seamless community feel is the geographic spread of their chapter. In 2018, the chapter set out to achieve a goal to fund and plan a chapter-wide “Get Connected” event with each City Center tailoring an event with the goal of doing community outreach, and engaging their design community in the City Centers and IIDA.

Attendees would have the chance to learn about the City Center, Chapter, and how to get involved. These events took place simultaneously in February, just in time to leverage those new relationships to stay connected and support each other throughout the pandemic.

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IIDA SOUTH FLORIDA: Virtual Annual Design Gala

IIDA South Florida didn’t let a global pandemic stand in the way of honoring colleagues and members at their annual BRAGG gala. Utilizing a professional production company, the chapter filmed presentations in showrooms across their chapter, commercials for membership, and a live portion for member participation. The chapter auctioned off free tickets, pulled together swag bags, and provided 25 firms with a catered meal and bottle of wine thanking them for their continued support.

They streamlined the submissions process, and had more engagement than ever from student members—with doubled entries from students, the chapter was able to double the scholarships they awarded. Sponsorships were provided commercial time, product spotlights, and the opportunity to present awards.

By taking their gala virtual, IIDA South Florida embodied their theme, “Design is resilient and bold,” and were able to celebrate design excellence virtually while engaging members and sponsors.