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The IIDA Foundation, in partnership with Interior Design Educators Council Foundation (IDECF), is pleased to present the IIDA Educator Diversity Award, recognizing and celebrating educators that contribute to the advancement of racial and ethnic diversity in the interior design industry.

This program awards one recipient a $5,000 cash award from the IIDA Foundation.

Eligibility

Full-time educators who have made recognized contributions to advance and expand racial and ethnic diversity in the interior design industry are encouraged to apply. To nominate an educator other than yourself, email foundation@iida.org with the name and a brief description of the educator that you are nominating, and IIDA Foundation staff will contact the nominated educator to invite them to apply.

Submission Requirements

All submissions must be completed electronically. No hard copy submissions will be accepted. If any of the following items are missing, your application will not be reviewed. Any additional materials will be removed and not considered.

To nominate an educator or yourself for this award please prepare and submit the following materials:

Open Date:
Monday, September 18, 2023
Close Date:
Friday, November 10, 2023

Apply here

Written Component

A maximum 500-word written statement about how the candidate is contributing to the advancement of racial/ethnic diversity in the interior design industry.

PDF file of summary from CV or resume including appointments in faculty positions and dates, courses taught, and other relevant professional accomplishments related to the nomination criteria.

Letters of Recommendation

Four separate letters of recommendation in PDF file format, saved individually must be included. Letters must be from the following:

Two (2) letters from former students, max 1 page each.

Two (2) letters from interior design professionals who were not the nominee’s students, and who can personally address how the nominee has contributed to advancing racial/ethnic diversity in the interior design industry, max 1 page each.

Headshot

Headshot (JPG or TIFF at least 5x5 inches at 300 dpi)

Judging

A select committee of the IIDA Foundation Board of Trustees and IDEC volunteers will review the essays and select the recipient who will be notified in January 2023.

Prize

The 2023 IIDA Educator Diversity Award is a $5,000 cash prize. The recipient will be honored at the 2024 IDEC Annual Conference. Winners will receive official digital assets, and mention on IIDA's website, social media accounts, and in an official press release distributed to leading industry outlets and media partners.

For questions or more information, contact IIDA Foundation at foundation@iida.org


2022 Educator Diversity Award Recipient

Tina Patel

The 2022 Educator Diversity Awardee, presented by the IIDA Foundation, in partnership with Interior Design Educators Council Foundation (IDECF), is Tina Patel. As Assistant Professor of Interior Design in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design, at Kent State University, Patel encourages students to consider realities and experiences divergent from their own, and teaches to center empathy in design methodologies. Learn more


2021 Educator Diversity Award Recipient

Milagros Zingoni Phielipp, IIDA, ASID, AIA

The IIDA Foundation, in partnership with Interior Design Educators Council Foundation (IDECF), is pleased to present the 2021 IIDA Educator Diversity Award, sponsored by KI, to Milagros Zingoni Phielipp, IIDA, ASID, AIA. She currently serves as associate professor and director of the School of Interior Architecture, and director of diversity relations for the College of Architecture and Design University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK). Read more here.


2020 Educator Diversity Award Recipient

Tasoulla Hadjiyanni, Ph.D

The 2020 IIDA Foundation's Educator Diversity Award recipient is Tasoulla Hadjiyanni, Ph.D, Northrop Professor of interior design at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Hadjiyanni has spent over 20 years advancing racial and ethnic diversity in the interior design industry and encouraging interior designers to become partners in eliminating racial disparities in health, income, and education. Read more here.