School of Interiors Celebrates 50 Years

The School of Interiors in the College of Design is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2022. During this milestone year, the Interiors community is reflecting on the last five decades and looking ahead to the future of design education and practice.

Said Acting Dean Ned Crankshaw, “Along with this important time in the history of the School of Interiors, we also celebrate a milestone for the College of Design. In the Gray Design Building, the School of Interiors, the School of Architecture, the department of Historic Preservation, Product Design, Urban and Environmental Design, and Landscape Architecture will all be housed under one roof for the first time – affording the opportunity for transdisciplinary research, teaching and learning.”

Throughout the month of October, the School of Interiors will host a series events of online and in-person events, including alumni networking, design chats, a scholarship fundraising dinner, and a keynote address by design thought leader Shashi Cann on Friday, October 21.

Caan is the founding partner of The SC Collective and founded GloW-DESIGN (Globally We Design), a platform to generate and disseminate new design thinking, practice and processes. Her talk on October 21 will focus on her work and philosophies that explore the intersections of design, sustainability, and the humanities.

The fundraising and recognition dinner will take place on Saturday, October 22 and feature a diverse body of work from the Interiors community over the last 50 years.

An anonymous donor has established a $50,000 matching scholarship, with a challenge to the Interiors community to raise the first $25,000. If that goal is achieved, the donor will match the other half, and the entire amount will fund student educational costs and co-curricular endeavors. Larger gifts may be divided over a period of five years.

“This is an incredible opportunity for us to more fully support our students, and we are hopeful that School of Interiors alumni and friends can help us meet this goal,” said School of Interiors Director Helen Turner.

Associate Professor of Interiors Patrick Lee Lucas added, “The 50th anniversary represents one of those watershed moments where we can reflect on the deep impact of the School over time and recognize the value of quality design education that has taken place here over five decades.”

View the full schedule of events
Purchase tickets for the dinner or donate to scholarships

All funds raised through dinner donations will contribute toward the matching goal.