Student Achievements

GRADUATION AND RETENTION RATES

The College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED) actively monitors and reviews student enrollment data to support student progress toward graduation. Graduation and retention rate data are provided by Institutional Research following the Fall semester census date, typically in early September. Rates are tracked as follows:

  • Retention Rates: Based on the incoming fall cohort of full-time, first-time, degree-seeking students. The percentage represents the proportion of students from the previous fall cohort who enroll in the following fall semester.
  • Graduation Rates: Based on the incoming fall cohort of full-time, first-time, degree-seeking students. Graduation rates represent the proportion of students in a cohort who earn a baccalaureate degree within four or six years.

Retention and graduation rates for students enrolled in the Interior Design Program within the College of Architecture and Environmental Design are provided below.

Freshman Cohort

Cohort Enrollment

Retention Rates 
(After 1 Year)

Attrition Rates 
(After 1 Year)

Graduation Rate 
(After 4 Years)

Graduation Rate 
(After 6 Years)

2019F

49

87.8%

12.2%

71.4%

77.6%

2020F

53

84.9%

15.1%

64.2%

71.7%

2021F

64

71.9%

28.1%

54.7%

TBD

2022F

90

80.0%

20.0%

58.9%

TBD

2023F

77

79.2%

20.8%

TBD

TBD

2024F

88

79.5%

20.5%

TBD

TBD

2025F

78

82.1%

17.9%

TBD

TBD

2026F

55

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD


STUDENT AWARDS

Kent State University’s Interior Design Program demonstrates strong student achievement and professional preparation through recognition in national competitions and industry programs.

METROPOLIS Future100 Recognition
Since 2021, 11 Kent State Interior Design students have been recognized as METROPOLIS Future100 recipients.

IDEC Annual Student Design Competition
Kent State Interior Design students have received three first-place undergraduate awards in the IDEC Annual Student Design Competition since 2020:

  • 2020: Angela Zeit, Maeley McHale, and Valerie Eckert — Hearth
  • 2024: Lillianna Aliberti, Amelia Perdue, and Madison Krejci — Ribbon of Courage: Healing Space for Survivors of Domestic Violence — View Winning Entry
  • 2026: Abigail Kimes, Chloe Cannon, and Mel Hackney — Signs of Earth

IIDA Student Design Competition
In 2025, Kent State Interior Design student Leah Ferry received Second Place in the IIDA Student Design Competition for Path to Balance: A Healing Environment for Behavioral Health.
View Winning Entry: Path to Balance

These accomplishments reflect the creativity, innovation, critical thinking, and professional preparation of Kent State Interior Design students and the faculty who mentor and support their work. Together, these national recognitions provide evidence of students’ ability to develop thoughtful, research-informed, and professionally relevant design solutions.


CAED TRAVELING FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

Established in 2017, the CAED Traveling Fellowship Program is designed to supplement educational and professional growth opportunities, expand networks, and broaden the cultural perspectives of students and faculty in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED).

The program awards competitive, blind-reviewed travel fellowships to CAED students and faculty. These fellowships provide opportunities to investigate research topics relevant to their design disciplines through in-situ engagement with specific places, institutions, and/or communities, both domestically and internationally.

The following Interior Design students have received CAED Student Traveling Fellowships:

  • 2019: Brandi Green — Reforming Prison Design in Norway
  • 2021: Allison Baker — Foodscapes in New York City

The following Interior Design students have received Tricarico CAED Student Traveling Fellowships:

  • 2022: Serene Hawes — Lighting Study in Iceland
  • 2024: Endiah Johnson — Investigating the Symbiotic Relationship Between Urban Design and Interior Environments in India
  • 2025: Macy Ladd — Urban Housing Constraints and the Human Psyche in Hong Kong
  • 2026: Matt Mast — Hygge in Practice: Finding Warmth in Winter in Denmark
     
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