Second-place winner Olivia Raynor has been fascinated with the world of interior design and art since she was a young child. A student at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Olivia has been influenced by the transformation from nothing to something significant, beautiful, and captivating. She pushes to innovate spaces that drive design that helps and supports others and leverages interior design as a tool to support communities and promote sustainability. She believes design is “about the lives you impact and the spatial relationships you create with users, [which is why] it is a dream of mine to be a part of that journey with Gensler.”
“Don [Brinkmann] was an incredible designer. He reimagined the role and the expectations that came along with it,” says Robin Klehr Avia, Regional Managing Principal for Gensler’s Northeast region. “Juliana and Olivia are talented young designers whose work and innovative processes reflect the creative thinking and artistry of Don’s pioneering work. We are thrilled to support their development through the Brinkmann Scholarship.”
Applications for the 2023 Brinkmann Scholarship will launch in the fall of 2022. To be considered, students must have a letter of recommendation from the dean of their school and submit work representative of their best design skills.
For more information about the Gensler scholarships program, please visit gensler.com/scholarships or email .
Gensler Rising Black Designers Scholarship
In 2020, Gensler launched the Rising Black Designers Scholarship + Design Challenge to help talented design students overcome the costs associated with higher education. This annual program awards tuition scholarships, micro-scholarships for books and materials, and opportunities for summer internships to underrepresented Black students enrolled in U.S. not-for-profit architecture programs.
Tuition Scholarship Recipients
Quinton Mason, a graduate student at the University of Virginia, received first-prize honors and a $10,000 tuition scholarship. The jury awarded the remaining four $10,000 tuition scholarships to Alix Salomon, an undergraduate student at the City College of New York; Miranda Cuozzo, an undergraduate student at the University of Notre Dame; Dean Bailey, a graduate student at Howard University; and Deron Charlery, a graduate student at the University of Buffalo.
“Our goals can only become a reality when we all come together to make a difference,“ said Diane Hoskins, Co-CEO of Gensler. “As a global firm of our size, we know our actions can drive meaningful change across the entire industry. Through this awards program, we are able to provide opportunities for Black students, increasing their access to the resources and mentors they need to build careers in architecture and design.”
This year, the tuition scholarship applicants were challenged to respond to one of four prompts that addressed current challenges in society, such as reestablishing trust in public safety; reinventing the human experience post-pandemic; reimagining ways for designers to make a difference; and designing for racial equality and inclusiveness in our practice, communities, and cities.
Quinton Mason, the first-place winner of the Rising Black Designers Scholarship, was confronted early on with the realization that most of the spaces he visits today weren’t designed for people like him. This drives his passion for inclusion and community-driven design as he explores how that can be a direct solution to the biased and financially-driven designs experienced in many places. As Quinton seeks a career working in multidisciplinary design studios, he aims to lead initiatives that promote tackling challenges from various angles, leading to more comprehensive answers which are the key to achieving inclusive design.