This special day offers students of interior design and architecture
valuable networking and educational opportunities.
CHICAGO [March 1, 2002] -‹ After a tremendously successful debut in 2001, Student Day will once again be featured during NeoCon® World¹s Trade Fair at The Merchandise Mart June 10-12, 2002. This year, Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. (MMPI), American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), International Interior Design Association (IIDA), and the IIDA Foundation have partnered to offer this incredible educational experience and networking opportunity to interior design students from prestigious architecture and design schools nationwide. Scheduled for Wednesday, June 12, Student Day highlights include an informative keynote presentation, panel discussion, scholarship presentation, career exchange, special displays created by design students, an opportunity for students to tour the fabulous showrooms and Market Suites in The Merchandise Mart and much more.
"NeoCon is an excellent venue for students to mingle with the best and brightest in the design community and see their work," said Monica DeBartolo, director of educational programming, MMPI. "It¹s a great place for them to see firsthand many of the concepts and philosophies discussed in their classes." STUDENT DAY EVENTS• Keynote Presentation
Kay Wulf, ASID, IIDA, senior associate, TVS Interiors, Chicago, Ill.
"Challenges and Opportunities"
9-10 a.m.
Holiday Inn Mart Plaza, 15th Floor
During this keynote program sponsored by IIDA, Kay Wulf will discuss career paths open to new designers and career development options available to help graduates become seasoned professionals.
• Scholarship Presentation
Cynthia Branch-Mills, board president, IIDA Foundation
10-10:15 a.m.
Holiday Inn Mart Plaza, 15th Floor
Once again, MMPI is partnering with the IIDA Foundation to offer one interior design student an opportunity to experience NeoCon World¹s Trade Fair firsthand and provide funds to use toward his or her education. Applicants will submit an essay discussing this year¹s theme: "How will technology change the way the design field teaches itself?" In addition, judges will consider each applicant¹s curriculum vitae and official transcript of coursework. FIDER-accredited design programs will be allowed to select up to three entries from their school to be submitted to IIDA for final judging. The winner will receive round-trip coach airfare from within the United States or Canada, one night¹s hotel accommodations to attend NeoCon and $2,500 to use towards books, supplies and tuition. The recipient will be introduced during the scholarship presentation and will briefly share the ideas expressed in his or her winning essay.
• Panel Presentation
Stephen Viscusi, CEO, The Viscusi Group, New York, N.Y.
"Learning Lessons: What to Expect the First Year"
10:15-11 a.m.
Holiday Inn Mart Plaza, 15th Floor
Stephen Viscusi, host of the syndicated talk show "On the Job with Steve Viscusi" and author of the career advice book On the Job: How to Make it in the Real World of Work, will host a panel of young professionals from prominent A&D firms to discuss what graduates can expect their first year as professionals and how to best prepare themselves for a career in design.
• Career Exchange
Sponsored by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)
Holiday Inn Mart Plaza, 15th Floor
11 a.m.-1 p.m.
During this valuable career-building opportunity, representatives from architecture and interior design firms will provide information about their companies and the industry. Volunteer ASID professionals will also spend time with the students reviewing resumés and portfolios, and offering advice on how students can best represent themselves.
• Showrooms and Market Suites
The Merchandise
Mart 1-5 p.m.
Students can tour the fabulous permanent showrooms in The Merchandise Mart, as well as the temporary exhibits in the Market Suites. This will be their opportunity to view the newest and most innovative products from the top manufacturers of office, health care, hospitality, retail, and residential furnishings as well as lighting, flooring, fabrics and decorative accessories.
• 6th Annual "Navigate with the Stars"
Several prominent industry designers such as Ayse Birsel, Diane Barnes, Karim Rashid, Pam Light, Ross Lovegrove and Michael Vanderbyl will lecture on their product design philosophies during this four-day intensive educational program for art and design students and interior, industrial and graphic designers. The presentations will be followed by a tour of the showrooms and exhibit space and will highlight products or space designed by the presenters. "Navigate with the Stars," created and conducted by Beverly Russell, Ph.D., and presented in conjunction with NeoCon by Kendall College of Art & Design and Interiors & Sources magazine, offers participants CEU credit through Kendall College of Art & Design. For more information, contact Sally Sauer at Kendall College at 800.676.2787, ext. 141.
SPECIAL DISPLAYS
NeoCon is proud to be a venue for special displays created by students from several prestigious art and design schools. Five major schools from Chicagoland will work jointly on a display to be featured in the pedway leading from The Merchandise Mart to the Chicago Apparel Center. The Illinois Institute of Art/Chicago, Illinois Institute of Art/Schaumburg, Harrington Institute of Design, DuPage College and International Academy of Merchandising and Design, will select works they feel are representative of their interior design programs to create this display. Additionally, the Kansas State Department of Interior Architecture will create a display of furniture their students have designed. "As the popularity of the Student Day programs at NeoCon increases, more schools have come to us with requests for display space," said Mark Falanga, vice president of business development, MMPI. "We¹re pleased to give exposure to Kansas State as well as the Chicago area schools who will be displaying student projects."REGISTRATION
Student Day is complimentary for students and educators. Registration is required and presentation seating is limited. Students may register in advance by visiting www.merchandisemart.com, clicking on NeoCon and then on the "Registration" link. Students and educators should use the "Student/Educator" registration form and fill in the appropriate information. Once the form is submitted, they can print a 2-D bar code and bring it with them to NeoCon to have it scanned, allowing their badge to be immediately printed. On-site registration is also available.For more information about Student Day and NeoCon World¹s Trade Fair, please visit www.merchandisemart.com or call 800.677.6278 (MART).
