SPOKANE, Wash. – John Turpin, a Washington State University associate professor and chair of the Department of Interior Design, has been named by DesignIntelligence one of 25 “educators and education administrators who exemplify excellence in design education leadership.”
DesignIntelligence is a bimonthly journal for architecture and design professionals.
DesignIntelligence annually publishes a list of top educators and education administrators based on “extensive input from hundreds of design professionals, academic department heads, and students,” according to DI’s web site. This top 25 list includes educators from all the design disciplines, including architecture, interior design, industrial design and landscape architecture.
“It is certainly a great honor and one that I will cherish,” Turpin said. “However, I do believe that I am very much a reflection of the people who surround me. I am inspired everyday by the dedicated faculty I work with at WSU. In addition, I would be remiss if I did not recognize my past and current mentors who helped shape this lump of clay into something meaningful; Jo Ann Thompson, Nancy Blossom, Kim Kidwell, Dan Bernardo and Hays Howard have offered endless support, motivation and inspiration.”
This is not the first time DI has recognized the excellence of WSU’s program in interior design. In 2008, WSU’s graduate program in interior design was ranked in the nation’s top 10. Rankings are generated based on surveys of professional design firms around the country. The ranking shows that WSU graduates are excelling in their profession. “What the ranking suggests is that our graduate students are doing extremely well in entry level positions,” Turpin said.
WSU interior design students have also taken top honors at major design competitions. For instance, in June 2009, WSU students won the top three honors in a national Retail Design Institute competition.
“We’re really coming into our own as a major force in design education, not just in the U.S. but around the world. Our alumni take important positions in major firms, get elected to key positions in professional organizations, and themselves become excellent educators. This award isn’t just about me but the synergy of talent and expertise that is the driving force for excellence in interior design at WSU.”
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