Student Merit Awards
Each year, IDSA recognizes exceptional student design talent through our Student Merit Awards (SMA) program.
About
Candidate Selection
Each year, an undergraduate and graduate winner is selected from each District for this prestigious distinction.
2025 SMA & GSMA Calendar
This year’s program kicks off February 10 and and ends May 23. 2025
2024 SMA & GSMA Winners
Congratulations to the 2024 Student Merit Award winners! Announced at this year’s IDSA International Design Conference & Education Symposium, these talented students are pushing the boundaries of innovation in industrial design.
University of Oregon (GSMA Winner)
Western Michigan University (SMA Winner)
Savannah College of Art & Design (GSMA Winner)
Rhode Island School of Design (SMA Winner)
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (GSMA Winner)
Pratt Institute (GSMA Winner)
North Carolina State University (SMA Winner)
University of Minnesota (SMA Winner)
University of Washington (SMA Winner)
2024 Academic Jury
We are grateful to these design practitioners and educators who volunteer their time to serve as judges of this year’s Student Merit Awards and Education Papers programs. Each judge is responsible for reviewing and scoring submissions, ensuring IDSA recognizes excellence in both academic and student work. Their dedication and commitment towards identifying and celebrating the next generation of design talent is an invaluable resource to our community.
The 2024 jury group is led by Owen Foster, IDSA who serves on IDSA’s Board of Directors.
Utah State University
University of Wisconsin-Stout
Design Central
Unbox Product Design
Lexmark
New York University
University of Notre Dame
San Francisco State University
Kean University
Arizona State University
University of Wisconsin–Stout
DF-ID
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
SCAD
Ohio State University
Columbia Sportswear
SCAD
Regenerative & Sustainability Design Strategist
The Ohio State University
Christina Prestidge-Kadrlik, IDSA
Milwaukee Tool
The Ohio State University
University of Notre Dame
Rudolph Design Studio
Brutherford Industries
Kean University
Indian institute of Management Mumbai
SCAD
Auburn University
The competition is one of IDSA’s longest running programs and highlights the very best creativity, problem solving and design brilliance in each of IDSA’s five North American Districts. Student finalists are selected by each participating school to represent their program at the District level. A jury panel of design leaders and educators representing a cross-section of professional practice and design academia is assembled annually to review and select District winners. Two winners are selected from each District for this prestigious distinction, one at the Undergraduate (SMA) level and one at the Graduate (GSMA) level.
Meet the 2024 Winners and Finalists
University of Houston (SMA Finalist)
Arizona State University (GSMA Finalist)
Thomas Jefferson University (SMA Finalist)
Rhode Island School of Design (GSMA Finalist)
University of Oregon (GSMA Winner)
University of Kansas (SMA Finalist)
James Madison University (SMA Finalist)
Western Michigan University (SMA Winner)
Carnegie Mellon University (SMA Finalist)
Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (SMA Finalist)
Paier College (SMA Finalist)
University of Wisconsin-Stout (SMA Finalist)
Iowa State University (SMA Finalist)
Cleveland Institute of Art (SMA Finalist)
University of Notre Dame (SMA Finalist)
Cederville / International Center for Creativity (SMA Finalist)
Savannah College of Art & Design (GSMA Winner)
Georgia Institute of Technology (GSMA Finalist)
Georgia Institute of Technology (SMA Finalist)
Purdue University (SMA Finalist)
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (SMA Finalist)
The Ohio State University (SMA Finalist)
Ontario College of Art and Design University (SMA Finalist)
Parsons School of Design at The New School (SMA Finalist)
Savannah College of Art and Design (SMA Finalist)
University of Illinois Chicago (GSMA Finalist)
Rhode Island School of Design (SMA Winner)
Rochester Institute of Technology (GSMA Finalist)
Columbus College of Art and Design (SMA Finalist)
Virginia Tech (SMA Finalist)
North Carolina State University (GSMA Finalist)
University of Oregon (SMA Finalist)
University of Louisiana at Lafayette (SMA Finalist)
Wentworth Institute of Technology (SMA Finalist)
San Jose State University (SMA Finalist)
Thomas Jefferson University ((GSMA Finalist)
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (GSMA Winner)
Pratt Institute (GSMA Winner)
University of Illinois at Chicago (SMA Finalist)
Parsons School of Design at the New School (SMA Finalist)
Massachusetts College of Art and Design (SMA Finalist)
Auburn University (SMA Finalist)
University of Houston (GSMA Finalist)
University of Cincinnati (SMA Finalist)
Pratt Institute (SMA Finalist)
Drexel University (SMA Finalist)
North Carolina State University (SMA Winner)
University of Kentucky (SMA Finalist)
University of Minnesota (SMA Winner)
Rochester Institute of Technology (SMA Finalist)
University of Washington (SMA Winner)
Western Washington University (SMA Finalist)
Students at James Madison University prepare for SMA school finalist selection night. 2022. @JMU on Instagram
Professionals and students from Parsons gather to select school finalists. 2018. @Tarika Jain on Instagram
Angela Yeh, IDSA (left) presents trophies to the 2022 SMA District winners at IDC 2022 in Seattle, WA.
Celebrating our finalists and winners
Student Merit Award finalists, winners, and the schools they represent benefit from massive media exposure through IDSA’s extensive reach and high-level industry recognition. Finalists receive an online profile, a print feature in INNOVATION magazine, and are celebrated across IDSA’s social media channels. In addition to this, winners receive a commemorative trophy and special distinction at the annual International Design Conference.
IDSA is proud to witness the incredible acceleration that winning an SMA provides in the professional success of those who participate. In many cases, most SMA finalists and winners graduate with strong job prospects or have already secured employment within a design firm or corporate team.
Finalists representing the Midwest District prepare to present at the 2008 Midwest District Conference.
Professionals and students gather in Cincinnati to select school finalists. 2022. @IDSA Cincinnati on Instagram
Student poster display at the 2010 Northeast District Conference at Kean University.
2024 Jury Chair
Shaped by a strong work ethic and a desire to contribute positively to the world, Foster’s diverse background in architecture, environmental, and industrial design reflects his commitment to meaningful connections and contributions. Beginning as a professor at Auburn University and the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, he advanced to key roles at SCAD, elevating multiple design disciplines to top rankings. Foster’s career includes transformative initiatives like SHiFT Design Camps, fostering empathetic design practitioners, and facilitating cross-disciplinary projects with Fortune 500 companies. Currently overseeing the design program at SCAD’s Atlanta campus, Foster’s impact extends globally, earning him accolades such as IDSA Educator of the Year and recognition as one of the Top 30 Most Admired Educators in Design. His dedication to lifelong learning and personal effort is evident in his philosophy, influencing his career and global recognition.
