Furnishings and interiors program receives national award for excellence

The furnishings and interiors program within the College of Family and Consumer Sciences has received the Excellence in Education Award from the National Kitchen and Bath Association.

The recognition reflects the outstanding quality and consistency of the program’s student submissions to the NKBA Student Design Competition during the 2023-24 school year. The FACS program was one of just seven to receive the award nationally.

Thea Ellenberg, a lecturer in the FACS department of textiles, merchandising and interiors, is the instructor that had her students enter the contest that year. She meticulously guides her students through the process throughout the semester.

“I am incredibly proud that NKBA has recognized the level of work that my students have submitted to the contest,” she said. “Every year I try my best to make sure the students are not missing anything required, and that they are at a highly proficient level with their entries. It is just incredibly rewarding to finally be recognized for this.”