John J. Nelson Sr. Legacy Scholarship Award
Offered by IIDA Foundation
About this scholarship
The John J. Nelson Sr. Legacy Scholarship Award, administered by the IIDA Foundation, supports undergraduate interior-design and architecture students of African American descent. Up to two recipients receive as much as $10,000 each, plus round-trip airfare and a hotel stay in Chicago for in-person recognition at the IIDA Annual Meeting before Chicago Design Week. Applicants must be enrolled in a U.S. not-for-profit program accredited by CIDA or NASAD for interior design, or by NAAB for architecture. IIDA membership is not required, and there is no application fee. The central submission is a three-to-five-minute video explaining how design has affected the applicant’s life, why the student is pursuing interior design or architecture, and how that career will benefit future clients and the community. The video must incorporate the applicant’s original drawings and sketches; including portfolio work is strongly recommended. Supporting documents consist of a recommendation from the student’s program chair, dean, or instructor, limited to one page, and a current student ID in JPEG or PDF format as proof of undergraduate enrollment. Missing required documentation prevents review. The linked award-management page is the current application and requires account login or creation. Applications close October 2, 2026.
Eligibility
- Be an undergraduate student of African American descent
- Be currently enrolled in a United States not-for-profit interior-design or architecture program
- Attend a CIDA- or NASAD-accredited interior-design program or a NAAB-accredited architecture program
- Submit a three-to-five-minute video addressing all three official prompts
- Incorporate original drawings and sketches in the video
- Provide a recommendation from a program chair, dean, or instructor of no more than one page
- Provide a current student ID in JPEG or PDF format
- Submit the complete application by October 2, 2026