Fay Jones School Students Receive Prestigious $30,000 Donghia Interior Design Scholarship

Two fourth-year interior architecture and design students in the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design at the U of A have each been awarded $30,000 from the Angelo Donghia Foundation, the most prestigious scholarship in interior design education. Founded by the late international interior designer Angelo Donghia, the foundation is a non-profit organization that promotes design education.

Students Ava Young and Petra "Piper" Berry were recognized with the foundation's 2026 Senior Student Scholarship Awards based on projects they submitted to the foundation.

Previously, seven other Fay Jones School students have received this honor. Most recently, Caitlin Swanson was recognized as a 2025 recipient. Before that, Cassie Roberts and Olivia Everett received the scholarships in 2024, Anna Arendt received one in 2019, and Jessica Baker and Christine Wass received them in 2016. Kelly Walsh was the first U of A student to receive the scholarship in 2015. Over the past 12 years, the Fay Jones School has received more than $400,000 in faculty research grants and student scholarships from the Donghia Foundation.

"Even a casual observation of our studios and classrooms reveals the creativity, intellectual curiosity and professionalism of our students and the faculty who guide their learning. Ava's and Petra's award-winning projects, moreover, highlight our students' enduring concerns about the social, psychic and environmental factors that must influence interior architecture and design, and demonstrate remarkable thought leadership in addressing those challenges," said Ethel Goodstein-Murphree, professor and interim head of the Department of Interior Architecture and Design. "We are proud that their work extends the remarkable legacy of our program's recognition by the Donghia Foundation, and we remain grateful to them for their generous support."

For their submissions, Young and Berry both selected projects they had worked on during Design VI, a third-year design studio in the spring 2025 semester led by Rachel Tucci, assistant professor of interior architecture and design, and supported by Torrey Tracy and Kim Furlong, associate professors, and Valeria Gibertoni, teaching assistant professor. Students were asked to transform a former grocery store in Helena, Arkansas, into a specialized child development center.

Ava Young

Young's project, Delta Ways, was developed in Design VI under the instruction of Tracy. Designed for children from infancy through age 5, her proposal centered on the concept of transition, creating a network of connected environments that support children as they move through different stages of development. The design included sensory regulation rooms, therapy spaces, classrooms, indoor and outdoor play areas, a central courtyard and green roofs, all connected through breezeways that encourage movement between environments.

"I became interested in design because I have always been drawn to unique spaces and the way an environment can alter a person's experience," Young said. "Interior design really spoke to me because it combines creativity with problem solving and allows me to make places that are both beautiful and functional."

Young, originally from Allen, Texas, said her research focused on understanding how child development centers can support learning, sensory needs and exploration. She studied precedent projects and examined strategies for creating meaningful relationships between indoor and outdoor environments.

"I researched the project through precedent studies of child development centers, focusing on sensory needs, indoor-outdoor connections and how learning environments are organized," Young said. "I presented my ideas mainly through plans, diagrams, perspectives and material selections to communicate both the overall concept and the experience of the design."

One of the features she believes made the project stand out was its approach to organization within the existing structure. One of the most unique aspects was separating the program into multiple smaller buildings under one existing roof, while using breezeways to keep everything connected.

Young said studio experiences such as this one have helped her develop confidence in her ideas and strengthen her ability to keep working toward a design solution.

"I have learned to handle pressure by trusting the process and continuing to work through challenges rather than becoming overwhelmed by them," she said. "Over time, I have become more confident in my ideas and developed a stronger ability to refine and improve my designs."

Young credits much of her success to the strong support system she has found throughout her academic journey, including her family, classmates and studio instructor. She expressed gratitude for the encouragement of those around her, noting that their guidance, feedback and belief in her ideas have helped shape the way she approaches design and contributed significantly to her growth as a student and designer.

Petra Berry

Berry's project, Emergence, was also completed during Design VI, under the mentorship of Tucci. While responding to the same site and program, Berry's design was deeply rooted in the culture, geography and social realities of Helena and the surrounding Delta region. Her proposal addressed several issues while creating spaces that support both children and educators.

"The program addresses the complex socioeconomic and developmental realities of the region, including high rates of neurodiversity, economic distress and limited educational resources," Berry said. "These dynamics inspired my core concept, Emergence, a dialogue between the Mississippi River's steady anchor and the Delta's ever-shifting farmlands."

That concept informed a design that balanced stability and flexibility. Permanent faculty spaces served as anchors within the building, while adaptable learning environments could evolve around the changing needs of students.

To better understand the community, Berry invested time learning about the local history and culture and visiting child development centers around the state.

"To understand Helena, I immersed myself in its local history, Delta media, local news, YouTube videos and vlogs, and on-site visits to developmental centers across Arkansas," Berry said. "My goal was simple: design an environment that provides children with a joyous, beneficial environment that promotes independence and education."

Her design incorporated a series of features inspired by local culture and childhood development, including accordion-inspired classroom storage systems, clerestory windows that bring natural light deep into the building and bright circulation cues to help guide children through daily routines.

A central faculty suite connected to a restorative courtyard offered spaces intended to support educator wellbeing and retention. The project also integrated a fishery and dining hall that reflected the region's strong fishing traditions while encouraging hands-on learning opportunities.

Berry traces her interest in design to her upbringing in Zagreb, Croatia, where she witnessed the profound impact interior environments can have on people's quality of life.

"As a child, I always loved to draw and work with my hands," she said. "I grew up in a country post-war. The exteriors of the typical home or apartment were worn and brittle due to the harshness of the war and economy. However, the interiors were always freshly renovated, painted and cleaned."

That experience shaped her understanding of the role design can play in everyday life.

"This intuitively taught me the importance of interiors and the effects they have on people as we spend 90% of our time indoors," Berry said. "Even in a harsh, post-war civilization, interiors could brighten and warm the minds and hearts of the civilians, giving them a brief break from harsh reality."

Many Rewards of Scholarships

These Senior Student Scholarship Awards will provide meaningful support as Young and Berry complete their design education and prepare to enter the profession. Beyond easing financial burdens, the scholarships recognize the talent, dedication and countless hours both students have invested in their work, giving them greater freedom to focus on their growth as designers.

Young plans to use the scholarship to help cover the costs of her education, including tuition, software, materials, supplies and travel-related expenses associated with studying interior architecture and design. The award will allow her to take advantage of opportunities that will further her development as a designer while reducing the financial pressures of a design education.

Berry said the scholarship will cover her final year of tuition and help reduce the student debt she has accumulated while pursuing her degree. Having moved to the United States from Croatia at age 17, Berry has relied heavily on loans and scholarships throughout college. She said the award not only provides financial relief but also serves as a meaningful validation of the years of hard work, late nights and persistence she has devoted to her education and design practice.

Both students view the scholarship as an investment in their futures and a vote of confidence in their ability to use design as a tool for positive impact. Their award-winning projects demonstrate how thoughtful design can create environments that support learning, foster independence and strengthen communities.