FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 22, 2019

IIDA FOUNDATION AND IDEC FOUNDATION ANNOUNCE RECIPIENT OF DIVERSITY AWARD

CHICAGO, IL — The IIDA Foundation, in partnership with the Interior Design Educators Council Foundation, Inc., (IDECF), is pleased to announce Professor Vibhavari Jani, IIDA, AIAS, EDRA, IDEC, IIA, associate professor in the Department of Interior Architecture and Product Design at Kansas State University, as the recipient of the third annual IIDA Foundation Diversity Award.

This award celebrates an educator who is representative of a diverse background and actively advancing diversity in interior design education. Jani will receive $5,000 on behalf of the IIDA Foundation and will be recognized during the IDEC Annual Conference, March 6–10, 2019, in Charlottesville, North Carolina.

“Vibha's work stretches far beyond the classroom; her focus on equity and inclusion is reflected in everything she does, and we are proud to honor her with this award.” said Cheryl Durst, Hon. FIIDA, Executive Vice President and CEO of IIDA.

Jani brings her 24 years of architecture and interior design practice experience to her curriculum and regularly incorporates project work where students, design practitioners, and the community collaborate for the greater good. In addition to writing the award-winning book Diversity in Design: Perspectives from the Non-Western World, Jani has developed design courses, workshops, seminars, exhibitions, and published more than 50 research papers to highlight the importance of cultural diversity, equity, and social justice in the interior design industry.

Jani also regularly mentors secondary and elementary level students from the most diverse and multicultural urban school district in Kansas to provide an example of a successful career path for a person of color.

“This award signifies the growing need for supporting research and developing academic programs so that we all can see ourselves represented in academia, and profession, regardless of our color, religion, race, or other aspects of our lives,” Jani expressed. “I am incredibly honored to receive this award, and accept it on behalf of my students, and my colleagues, and thank the IIDA Foundation and the award committee for this honor.”

IIDA Foundation Diversity Award submissions were reviewed by IIDA Foundation Chair Ronnie Belizaire, corporate real estate manager at Daimler, and 2017 IIDA Educator of the Year and

IIDA International Board of Directors Vice President, Jon Otis, IIDA, founder and principal at the O|A-Object Agency and professor at the Pratt Institute.

For more information about the IIDA Foundation Diversity Award, please contact Aisha Williams at awilliams@iida.org.

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About IIDA

For 25 years, IIDA, the commercial interior design association with a global reach, has been a leader in defining, supporting, and enriching the interior design profession. We support design professionals, industry affiliates, educators, students, firms and their clients through our network of 15,000+ members across 58 countries. We advocate for advancements in education, design excellence, legislation, leadership, accreditation, and community outreach to increase the value and understanding of Interior Design as a profession that enhances business value and positively impacts the health and well-being of people’s lives every day. www.iida.org