For the second consecutive year a MIAD student has taken home the prestigious IDSA Design Foundation National Undergraduate Scholarship. Emily Siira ’17 (Industrial Design) was awarded the scholarship for her exemplary work and extracurricular involvement.
Siira, a nontraditional student, was in Connecticut studying mechanical engineering when she found her passion for Industrial Design. “After two years, I reevaluated what I wanted to do. After finding my passion for Industrial Design, I immediately fell in love with MIAD.”
Part of her decision to transfer to MIAD came from the hands-on learning offered here. “There is live creation happening everywhere and I love seeing people in the process of working,” she adds.
During her time at MIAD, she has found immense support in the faculty, particularly with Industrial Design professors Pascal Malassigné, John Caruso and Thornton Lothrop, who suggested she apply for the scholarship, and encouraged her to gain as much experience as she can.
She’s taken their advice to heart and is in the middle of an internship with EWI Worldwide, having previously interned with VISA Lighting and Master Lock, creating projects she can’t even talk about because of pending patents.
Siira’s extracurriculars also include membership in the IDSA Student and Wisconsin Chapters, as well as working as a design consultant because of encouragement from Lothrop.
She credits winning the IDSA Scholarship to her time at MIAD and the individualized support she receives.
“I owe it all to MIAD. Everything that got me the scholarship has been from here. I’d like to thank Pascal, John and Thornton for everything. They have been incredible in supporting me every way they can. They take their own personal time to help, and I’ve never heard of professors at another university doing that. It’s another really special thing about MIAD.”
Read about 2015 IDSA Scholarship winner Natalie Quinnies.
More info on MIAD’s nationally-ranked Industrial Design program.
