Educational Foundation of IFDA Accepts Applications for Ten Student Scholarships

February 18, 2026  by Karen Parrish in Business Strategy, Industry   

“We are pleased to announce this new Avalon Flooring scholarship for design students – the future of our industry,” said Karen Dzendolet, chairman of the board of the Educational Foundation of IFDA.  “We would also like to extend our wholehearted thanks to Avalon Flooring for their support.”

Applicants must be currently enrolled, and scholarships are paid to the school for the 2026 fall semester tuition.  Applicants are not eligible to apply if their graduation date is either the spring or summer semester of 2026.  Scholarships are for undergraduate and graduate students attending U.S. institutions and all applications must be in English.  IFDA membership is not required to apply (with the exception of the IFDA Student Member Scholarship).  

The new scholarship is as follows:

Avalon Flooring – NEW – $2,000.  This scholarship is open to students residing in or attending school in Southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey or Delaware who are enrolled in an accredited interior design or design-related program of any length.  This scholarship is designed to engage students in the community surrounding Avalon Flooring locations, helping to build student networks and continue to develop generations of designers. This scholarship also includes an optional paid internship for the awarded winner.  It is focused on a kitchen or bath design project.

Information about it and other IFDA student scholarships and the scholarship application forms may be found on the website at www.ifdaef.org.

The other nine scholarships are:

Tony Fusco Scholarship – NEW – $6,000. The Tony Fusco Scholarship was established by the New England Chapter to honor the late Tony Fusco, an active and committed IFDA New England member.  pen to New England residents currently enrolled in interior design or related programs, full-time undergraduate or graduate student.

FBN Leaders Commemorative Scholarship -- $3,000. Open to currently enrolled interior design or related program, full-time undergraduate students; extra credit for volunteer work/leadership.

Part-Time Student Scholarship -- $1,500.  Open to currently enrolled interior design or related program, part-time students.

IFDA Student Member Scholarship -- $2,000.  Open to currently enrolled interior design or related program, full-time undergraduate IFDA student members.  Link to join IFDA: https://ifda.com/join-ifda/.

Vercille Voss IFDA Graduate Student Scholarship -- $2,000. Open to currently enrolled interior design or related program, full- or part-time graduate students.

Ruth Clark Furniture Design Scholarship -- $4,000.  Open to currently enrolled, full- or part-time undergraduate or graduate students with a course emphasis on Furniture Design.

Barbara Beckmann Textile Design Scholarship -- $3,000.  Open to currently enrolled full- or part-time undergraduate and graduate students with course emphasis on Textile or related design.

IFDA Philadelphia Scholarship -- $2,500. Open to currently enrolled, two-, three- or four-year interior design or related program students.  Focus rotates annually between design in (2026) Graphic, Furniture, Interior and Textile Design. This year’s focus is Graphic Design.

Tricia LeVangie Green/Sustainable Design Scholarship -- $1,500. Open to currently enrolled interior design or related program, full- or part-time undergraduate students.

As stated, applications for all 2026 IFDA EF scholarships will only be accepted during the month of March, with winners promised notification in July.  Winners of a certain scholarship cannot reapply to that particular scholarship.  For details, please consult the Educational Foundation website www.ifdaef.org.  Or for answers to specific questions about these or any of EF's other scholarships and grants, contact Earline Feldman, Director of Scholarships & Grants, at ef.ifda@tapestries.org or 770-378-7221.