IIDA NY Honors Fourth Annual Hazel Siegel Scholarship Recipients
NEW YORK — January 24, 2025 — The International Interior Design Association’s New York Chapter (IIDA NY) is honored to announce the winners of its fourth annual Hazel Siegel Scholarship: Khadeine Ali from The New School, Parsons School of Design, Lydia Mudd from New York Institute of Technology (NYIT), and Jiayin Li from Cornell University. The recipients will receive an all-expense-paid, three-day trip to IIDA’s SHIFT Conference in Dallas February 12-14 and a one-year IIDA student membership to the NY chapter.
This scholarship honors the legacy of Hazel Siegel, an acclaimed textile designer and chapter member who held numerous leadership positions and received multiple honors over 40 years of dedicated service to the chapter. Following her passing in 2020, IIDA NY initiated a program to honor her enduring contributions to the industry. Siegel, also a respected professor at Pratt Institute, was recognized as an industry icon by Interior Design magazine's 75th-anniversary issue for her unwavering commitment to the design field. The scholarship celebrates Siegel's legacy and the significant impact she made on the design community.
"We are thrilled to recognize the talent and dedication of this year's recipients," said Jillian Allerton and Michelle Schutt, Co-Chairs of the IIDA NY Hazel Siegel Scholarship Committee. "Khadeine, Lydia, and Jiayin exemplify the spirit of innovation, inclusivity, and community engagement that Hazel championed throughout her career. This scholarship honors Hazel’s legacy and empowers these emerging designers to pursue their passions and make meaningful contributions to the future of design. We are excited to see the impact they will have on our industry and beyond."
The winning Hazel Seigel Scholarship winners were selected based on their community engagement, academic standing, design aspirations, perspectives on diversity, and post-graduation goals as follows:
Khadeine Ali (The New School, Parsons School of Design)
As an aspiring interior designer, Ali is focused on creating transformative spaces that enhance well-being and inclusivity. A first-generation immigrant from Trinidad, she aims to design socially impactful projects like civic structures and community centers, integrating storytelling, sustainability, and historic preservation. Committed to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, inspires to mentor underrepresented individuals in design and foster an inclusive community. Her long-term goal is to become a professor, inspiring future designers to use design as a tool for social impact.
Lydia Mudd New York Institute of Technology (NYIT)
A student leader at NYIT, Mudd encourages younger students to explore their passions and get involved. She believes that discovering and nurturing individual interests is key to personal and professional growth. Her senior thesis focuses on redesigning workplaces to foster intuitive collaboration between neurodiverse and neurotypical individuals, which reflects her passion for creating personalized, reflective spaces. Committed to addressing inclusivity and accessibility gaps, especially for neurodiverse individuals, Mudd aims to explore the intersection of cognitive productivity and design in a research-based firm.
Jiayin Li (Cornell University)
Looking to create spaces that support health, well-being, and functionality, particularly in health facilities and senior living environments. Li seeks to make a positive impact by designing spaces that make individuals feel valued and included, regardless of age or physical health. By designing with empathy, universal principles, and diverse cultural perspectives, she aims to foster create a pluriversal world that fosters inclusivity and respect for all. Her involvement in the Pluriversal Design Lab reinforces her commitment to making interior design more accessible to marginalized groups. After graduation, she plans to pursue a master's degree to deepen her understanding of spatial design and environmental impact.
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About IIDA NY
The IIDA New York Chapter (IIDA NY)—an inclusive community of creative and diverse professionals, industry partners and students—celebrates design, encourages collaboration, shares knowledge and advocates for the interior design community. This professional networking and educational association provides invaluable resources to more than 700 members in 10 specialty forums with the goal of enhancing their expertise, knowledge and contacts. IIDA NY is proudly committed to design advocacy, sustainability, civic engagement, student mentorship and development, as well as diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. For more information, visit: http://www.iidany.org/.
