Kwantlen Polytechnic University Interior Design student Santiago Arcila, is the first Canadian to be honoured with the ICON of Industry scholarship since the award was founded in 2004.
He is also the first male to ever win this scholarship.
Founded in 1984, The Hospitality Industry Network is an international non-profit organization that links professionals from every facet of the hospitality industry.
To date, the organization has given out over $2 million US in scholarships.
Arcila was flown to New York City on Nov. 14, where he was presented with a $5,000 ICON of Industry Scholarship from the Hospitality Industry Network (NEWH) for his hospitality-focused designs and essays.
“Santiago is a very talented designer that has already developed the complex ability to think three-dimensionally. He is able to ‘carve’ spaces and think conceptually on how materials and lighting affect human emotion,” said Paulo Gavilanex, Faculty, Interior Design Program. “He is not afraid to take risks and will support his decisions by doing additional research when they are unconventional.”
In his final year of the Interior Design bachelor’s degree program, Arcila was humbled to be presented with this award and honoured to meet Harvey Nudleman, the winner of the 2011 ICON of the Industry.
“I am still in disbelief to have been flown from Vancouver to New York and be the recipient of the NEWH Icon of Industry Scholarship,” said Arcila. “I started my studies in chemical engineering and yet here I am six years later receiving a scholarship in the hospitality industry. I couldn’t feel more privileged or prouder to receive this award.
“I could not envision a life without design. It is the combination of logic, creativity and functionality. This scholarship recognizes leaders in our field and gives students the opportunity to one day be an icon of industry themselves.”
“We are always very proud when our students win awards and we are especially proud of Santiago for receiving the Icon of Industry Award from the Hospitality Industry Network since he is the first Canadian recipient,” said Lucie Gagné, Co-Coordinator for the Interior Design Program at Kwantlen. “Our students’ success is the best feedback our program can receive and reaffirms our mission statement: ‘Educating leaders for the profession of interior design.’ ”