Interior Design Student, Karlee Szczesniak Awarded $30,000 Prestigious Angelo Donghia Foundation Scholarship

Karlee Szczesniak (Interior Design, ‘25) was awarded a $30,000 Angelo Donghia Foundation scholarship for a project completed during her Junior Independent Study course.

While completing her second internship with Walt Disney Imagineering in Orlando, Florida, Karlee received the news of a lifetime. Her father called her from their home in Michigan to let her know she received a letter from the Angelo Donghia Foundation. “Immediately, I was filled with both excitement and fear, knowing this letter had the potential to change my future,” Karlee said. She asked him to open it and read it to her. At that moment he let her know that she was one of only fifteen scholarship recipients chosen this year. 

“I was overwhelmed with emotion. I knew at that moment all of the stress, sleepless nights, and passion I poured into the project were undoubtedly worth it. To know that the judges found my work worthy of such a prestigious award was the greatest affirmation of my growth and confidence as a designer.”

The Angelo Donghia Foundation was established by the late Angelo Donghia, an internationally recognized design icon. The Foundation focuses on the advancement of education in the field of interior design. For more than 20 years, they have awarded senior student scholarship awards to benefit deserving students entering their last year in a baccalaureate degree program in interior design at accredited universities, colleges, and schools. 

Karlee’s winning project, The Wave Hub is a surfboard and apparel company dedicated to sustainability and ocean cleanup. The inclusive design embraces neurodiverse individuals in their workplace through the areas of concentration, collaboration, and comfort zones to create a sense of belonging. The Hub integrates LEED-certified materials and natural elements like sunlight and clean air to enhance physical and mental health.

“Karlee has consistently demonstrated an exceptional commitment to her design process. She is highly attentive to feedback, applying it diligently to enhance the discipline of her projects through each iteration,” said Sandra Olave, Chair of Interior Design. “She has a firm grasp of human-centered design as evident in her work, as she develops innovative solutions and keenly understands and highlights the profound impact these solutions have. This award is a testament to her dedication, skill, and insight.”

Karlee is open about her past struggles with confidence and finding her place in the vast interior design field. She believes this scholarship award has given her the boost of confidence she needed going into her senior year. “Receiving this scholarship has given me a new sense of self-assurance, and it has allowed me to focus on how I can push myself to the next level as a designer.”