Ms. Durst, Michael Graves, and Michele Oka Doner to Receive Honorary Doctorate Degrees
New York School of Interior Design (NYSID) is pleased to announce that Cheryl Durst, Executive Vice President and CEO of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), will be the keynote speaker at the college’s 2011 commencement ceremony. Ms. Durst will also receive the college’s Honorary Doctorate Degree in Fine Arts, along with architect and designer Michael Graves, and artist Michele Oka Doner.
The ceremony will be held at The Allen Room, Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center on Broadway at 60th Street, New York City. This year, NYSID is proud to graduate 23 MFA, 9 MPS, 52 BFA, and 61 AAS candidates.
“In addition to her exemplary leadership of the IIDA, Ms. Durst is a LEED accredited professional with a substantial industry background,” said NYSID President Christopher J. Cyphers. “The Board of Trustees and I believe her unique point of view and breadth of experience will resonate with, as well as inspire, this graduating class. Also, the School is very happy to confer Honorary Doctorate Degrees on Ms. Durst, NYSID International Advisory Board member, Michael Graves, and renowned artist Michele Oka Doner—all outstanding individuals who have made valuable contributions to the world of design.”
In her leadership position at the IIDA, Ms. Durst has the overall responsibility for guiding the efforts of the 12,000 member association. She is a sought-after speaker on “The Future of Design” and other explorations into design, and lives up to the strong reputation she’s developed for keeping design savvy and built-environment audiences enlightened and inspired. Durst formerly served as an Executive Board Member of the Chicago Chapter of the US Green Buildings Council.
Honorary doctorate recipient Michael Graves is credited with broadening the role of the architect in society and raising public interest in good design as essential to the quality of everyday life. In 1962, Graves began a 39-year teaching career at Princeton University, where he is now the Robert Schirmer Professor of Architecture, Emeritus. He has received 12 honorary doctorates and is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, as well as a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects.
Honorary doctorate recipient Michele Oka Doner is an internationally acclaimed artist whose prolific career spans four decades. Her artwork is represented in numerous prominent art museums and private collections and she has created over thirty-five public art installations throughout the U.S. and Europe.
About NYSID
Founded in 1916, the New York School of Interior Design (NYSID) is New York’s only private, not-for-profit college devoted exclusively to interior design education and related disciplines. NYSID’s guiding principle is that the interior environment is a fundamental element of human welfare, and the college is committed to actively improving, through design, the quality of life for all segments of humanity. This ideal is put into practice by a dedicated faculty of well-known designers, architects, art historians, and authorities in the field who guide a diverse student body of over 750 full- and part-time students. NYSID offers certificate, undergraduate and graduate programs in the fields of interior design, design history and theory, interior lighting, and sustainable design. The college is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and NYSID’s BFA is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA).
Photo of Ms. Durst courtesy of IIDA; photo of Mr. Graves courtesy of Michael Graves & Associates, photography by Barry Johnson; photo of Ms. Oka Doner courtesy of Michele Oka Doner, photography by Don Freeman.
