Tuesday, September 1, 2026
The University of Florida Department of Interior Design celebrated the accomplishments, leadership and creativity of its students during the 2026 Interior Design Awards Ceremony Friday afternoon at the Moss Auditorium inside the Bruno E. and Maritza F. Ramos Collaboratory.
The annual ceremony recognized achievements from the 2025-26 academic year while giving the department an opportunity to welcome students into a new school year. The event also highlighted the many ways students contribute to their program, their peers and the profession.
The ceremony opened with a recognition of student leadership, including members of the Gator Interior Design board and the department’s student representatives from the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and the International Interior Design Association (IIDA).
Two individual students were also recognized for achievements beyond UF. Isabel Yi was named a semifinalist in the ASID National Student Portfolio Competition in March 2026, earned Living Future Accreditation (LFA) through her HKS internship in June 2026 and took first place in the ASID Florida North Impact Design Award Student Commercial and Hospitality Competition earlier this month. Zoila Moya also earned national recognition, receiving second place in the 2026 ASID Impact Design Awards in the Wild Card Sector.
The department then handed out its 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award, honoring Amanda Meyers (BDES ’10). Currently the assistant director of facilities for the UF College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, she has worked in different roles on the UF campus for the past eight years and was recognized for her continued commitment to interior design students and the department. Despite a busy schedule, she has consistently made time to support students through campus site visits, competition juries, panel sessions and portfolio reviews. She then spoke to the students on the themes of curiosity, compromise and courage.
Following a brief question-and-answer session between Meyers and attendees, it was time for the student awards, beginning with Kayla Coradin winning the VALOR Award presented by the UF Interior Design Advocacy Board (IDAB). The award recognizes the challenges students navigate while remaining engaged in multiple areas of life inside and outside the University. The IDAB considers qualities including tenacity, resilience, character, effort, mental toughness, intensity, positivity, guts, grit, perseverance, initiative and courage when selecting the recipient.
Three juniors were then recognized with the 2026 Pin-Up Excellence Awards for the quality of their work displayed in the John and Anne Sofarelli Family Gallery during the spring semester. Emily Xiong, Jaicey Ingrahm and Hope Castillo were selected from the submitted pin-up boards for demonstrating promise and excellence in their displays.
The remaining awards were selected from student nominations and reflected the range of qualities the department values in its students.
Moya received the Academic Excellence Award, which recognizes overall excellence across upper division coursework and design performance. She received seven student nominations and maintained a perfect GPA. Nominations praised her commitment to high-quality work, her willingness to challenge herself as a designer and her support of fellow students. Her proficiency in Revit and extensive knowledge of the discipline were also highlighted.
Valentina Galbusera received the Outstanding Graduate Student Award for excellence in research, coursework and leadership. In addition to performing at a high level in her coursework, Galbusera provided thoughtful peer feedback and went above and beyond in supporting the sophomore design studio, earning exceptional reviews from students and faculty.
The Innovation Award went to Hailey Stevens. The award recognizes creative problem solving that breaks with convention while still providing functional, human-centered design solutions. Stevens stood out among numerous individual and group project nominations for consistently pushing boundaries and embracing risk in her project work.
Emily Geary received the Power of Design Communication Award, which celebrates exceptional clarity, cohesiveness and visual design that effectively communicates the impact and value of a design solution. Her nominations highlighted her ability to communicate design through strong graphic organization and visual storytelling, as well as the clarity, creativity and quality of her renderings and visualizations.
The Keystone Award, which recognizes a talented collaborator and project manager who strengthens studio culture, went to Juliette Guazzo. Nominations described Guazzo as an exceptional collaborator, thoughtful leader and strong team leader who consistently supports those around her. Guazzo’s ability to make others feel included, supported and valued was also recognized.
Alicia Gagliotti received the Citizenship Award for her service to the program, profession and community. Her consistent presence at College of Design, Construction and Planning (DCP) events, department events and her service to the DCP Ambassadors and the Gator Interior Design student organization earned her recognition.
The ceremony concluded with the Outstanding Mentorship Award, which recognizes an upperclassman who demonstrates exemplary mentoring through a genuine interest in the success of others and a willingness to invest time in helping fellow students grow.
That award went to Moya, whose mentorship was described as extending well beyond simply answering questions. Her guidance during challenging parts of the curriculum, particularly the selective admissions process, helped fellow students feel more prepared and confident. Nominations also recognized her willingness to explain the reasoning behind her feedback, troubleshoot design and technical challenges and make time for students beyond those formally assigned to her through the Gator Interior Design mentorship program.
Together, the awards reflected a year of achievement while underscoring the qualities that define the department’s student community: creativity, academic excellence, leadership, collaboration, service and a genuine commitment to helping others succeed.