Proudly Presented By
The 5th Annual
PAVE Educator of the
Year Award
Celebrating educators who inspire the next generation of design leaders.
The PAVE Educator of the Year Award honors an outstanding educator whose excellence in teaching, leadership, and commitment to design education makes a lasting impact on students and the profession.
Presented annually at the PAVE Gala, the award recognizes a full-time educator who goes beyond the classroom to create meaningful opportunities, strengthen design education, and prepare students for what comes next.
Nominations are free. Self-nominations are welcome.
Quick Facts
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Award recognition: $3,000 award for the Educator of the Year, plus attendance and recognition at the PAVE Gala, and up to $1,000 in travel support for educators outside the NY/NJ area.
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Eligibility: Current full-time, tenured, or adjunct professors with at least seven years of post-secondary teaching experience
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Nomination: Free, self-nominations accepted
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Deadline: October 30, 2026
About the Award
The PAVE Educator of the Year Award celebrates an educator whose dedication, leadership, and excellence in teaching have made a meaningful impact on students and the design profession.
The honoree consistently finds new ways to engage and inspire students, creates opportunities beyond the core curriculum, demonstrates strong leadership within their department, and contributes to the continued growth of the profession.
Through this award, PAVE recognizes the educators helping prepare and inspire the next generation of design leaders.
Who Can Be Nominated
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Nominees must be currently teaching as full-time, tenured, or adjunct professors.
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Nominees must have a minimum of 7 years of experience in a post-secondary program related to Interior Design, Architecture, Visual Merchandising, Engineering, Graphic Design, UX/UI Design, Industrial Design, Product Design, Experiential Design, or a similar area of study at any university, college, or recognized professional school.
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Nominations may be submitted by an industry peer, colleague, administrator, or student of the candidate. Eligible educators may also self-nominate.
What Makes a Strong Educator of the Year Nominee
Strong nominees have a demonstrated history of:
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Exhibiting excellence in teaching and consistently engaging and inspiring students in new and innovative ways
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Seeking resources and opportunities beyond the core curriculum, such as community involvement and design competitions
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Exhibiting strong leadership within their department
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Making significant contributions to the profession
Nomination Requirements
All nominations must be submitted through Submittable and include:
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Letter of Nomination
Minimum 750 words. Written by the nominator, this letter should address the candidate’s outstanding achievements and commitment to design education.
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Curriculum Vitae
Maximum two pages. The candidate’s CV should include experience and accomplishments relevant to the award.
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Academic/Classroom Project Outline
A brief description of the purpose, methods, and outcome of an innovation-, sustainability-, or community-focused project completed with students, classes, or studios beyond the scope of the core curriculum. The project must be from the past three years.
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Mini Portfolio
Maximum five pages. Include work samples that further support the candidate’s CV and Academic/Classroom Project Outline. Links to websites may be included.
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Three Letters of Support
Minimum 500 words each. Letters should address the award criteria and provide evidence supporting their claims. They should come from a variety of sources, such as current students, alumni, colleagues, peers, administrators, or industry professionals.
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Headshot — Optional
JPG or TIFF, at least 5 × 5 inches at 300 dpi.
All documents must be submitted as individual PDFs, except for the optional headshot. There is no fee to submit a nomination.
Judging
All nominations will be reviewed through Submittable by a panel of industry professionals and educators who are not affiliated with the nominees.
Anyone who writes a nomination letter or letter of support for a nominee is not eligible to serve on the review panel for this award.
Award Recognition
The 2026 Educator of the Year will be recognized on Thursday, December 10, 2026, during the PAVE Gala in New York City.
The recipient will receive:
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$3,000 awarded to the Educator of the Year
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One ticket to attend the PAVE Gala to be recognized
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Up to $1,000 in travel support for flight and hotel expenses if located outside the NY/NJ area
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Official digital assets for self-promotion
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Recognition through PAVE’s website, social media channels, and an official press release
Before You Nominate...
Before completing your nomination, please make sure:
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☐ The nominee meets all eligibility requirements
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☐ The Letter of Nomination is at least 750 words
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☐ The Curriculum Vitae is no more than two pages
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☐ The Academic/Classroom Project Outline features a project from the past three years
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☐ The Mini Portfolio is no more than five pages
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☐ You have included three Letters of Support of at least 500 words each
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☐ All required documents are submitted as individual PDFs
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☐ The optional headshot, if included, is a JPG or TIFF measuring at least 5 × 5 inches at 300 dpi
Recommendation: For the best viewing experience and faster uploads, submit flattened PDF files whenever possible. Landscape-oriented documents are preferred but not required.
Nomination Deadline
Friday, October 30, 2026, before 11:59 PM Eastern/8:59 PM Pacific.
Have Questions?
Please contact PAVE at info@paveglobal.org.
The PAVE Educator of the Year Award is Proudly Presented By
Celebrating Past Educators of the Year
The PAVE Educator of the Year Award celebrates educators whose leadership, dedication, and commitment to design education have made a lasting impact on their students and the profession.
Past honorees represent the educators shaping the future of design by inspiring the next generation, creating opportunities beyond the classroom, and strengthening the connection between education and industry.
