IFDA Educational Foundation Awards A Tony Torrice Professional Development Grant To Designer And Doctoral Student Cindy Beacham Of Virginia

Furniture World Magazine

Established by the International Furnishings and Design Association Educational Foundation, the Tony Torrice Professional Development Grant has been awarded to Cindy V. Beacham of Blacksburg, VA, who will pursue a doctoral degree in child development/children's interior environments at Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University. She is the founder of Odyssey Design Group, which designs for and with children and educates adults about appropriate children's spaces. Beacham anticipates that her studies will lead to a greater understanding of the importance of interior environments in children's development and behavior in institutional and educational settings. The Tony Torrice Professional Development Grant memorializes designer/author/lecturer Tony Torrice, IFDA, ASID. Honored in the Points of Light program and a recipient of IFDA's most prestigious Trailblazer Award, Torrice was recognized as a leading authority on designing children's environments. The IFDAEF grant is given to a professional working in the interior furnishings industry and wanting to advance a career through independent or academic study. An industry professional qualifying as the recipient of this award may work in, but is not limited to, the areas of design, marketing, education, writing/publishing, manufacturing and retailing. The grant applicant explains in a 300-500-word essay industry accomplishments, reasons for pursuing independent or academic study and how the grant funds will be used. The IFDA Educational Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the International Furnishings and Design Association, is a charitable organization that supports the furnishings and design industry through various grant programs aimed at professionals, students and institutions. Donations to the Foundation are considered charitable and are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Funding for Foundation awards comes from member, chapter and corporate donations, as well as gifts and grants from individuals and organizations within, as well as outside, the sphere of the association. For more information on IFDA programs e-mail them at jennifer_lewis@dc.sba.com.