John J. Nelson Sr. Legacy Scholarship
Direct application
Up to $10,000
2 winners
Eligibility
Demographics
Black or African American
Major
Architecture
Education level
Undergraduate
About this scholarship
Undergraduate students of African American descent enrolled in a CIDA-, NASAD-, or NAAB-accredited interior design or architecture program at a U.S. not-for-profit institution may apply for the IIDA Foundation John J. Nelson Sr. Legacy Scholarship.
Up to two recipients receive up to $10,000 each plus travel to Chicago for in-person recognition.
Submit a 3 to 5 minute video describing how design has impacted your life and how you will use your career to benefit clients and community.
John J. Nelson Sr. established this fund with the IIDA Foundation in 2019 to champion diversity and access in design education.
Essay questions
What else to submit
- 3-to-5-minute video addressing the stated prompts
- Original drawings and sketches in the video
- Letter of recommendation from a Program Chair, Dean, or Instructor (maximum one page)
- Copy of current student ID
- Submission is a 3-to-5-minute VIDEO (not a written essay); the three prompts are addressed on-camera. No word or character limit is given — the constraint is video length (3-5 minutes).
- Video must incorporate original drawings and sketches; portfolio project work highly recommended.
- Letter of recommendation from a Program Chair, Dean, or Instructor (maximum 1 page).
- Copy of current student ID (JPEG or PDF) to verify undergraduate enrollment.
- Eligibility: undergraduate students of African American descent enrolled in CIDA/NASAD-accredited interior design or NAAB-accredited architecture programs at U.S. not-for-profit institutions.
- A previously submitted video from a prior year results in disqualification; a new video is required when reapplying.
- Portfolio project work is highly recommended.
- A new video is required for reapplication; prior-year videos are disqualifying.