The New England Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers, or ASID, has named Professor Nancy Hackett the Outstanding Design Educator for 2017.
Hackett, a professor of interior architecture and design at Suffolk’s New England School of Art & Design, is also an award-winning practitioner.
“After more than 20 years as a design educator, I'm still learning from my students, who have gone on to surpass my experiences and are paving the way of the future in interior environments that enable, sustain, and celebrate people,” said Hackett.
This year's ASID New England Selection Committee described Hackett as "a talented designer in her own right...the consummate professional, she goes over and above her classroom duties as she passes on to her students more than just the nuts and bolts of interior design. She instills in them the importance of reaching beyond their grasp, of giving back, and always striving to do their best."
Hackett’s students work in a classroom setting modeled on the professional design environment, with an emphasis on hands-on studio experience.
Their learning experience and Hackett’s encouragement have opened many doors for her students. They regularly win design competitions, and she finds avenues, such as a recent holiday show house, for them to showcase their talent.
“It is an honor to have worked with young designers in shaping the future of our interior environments...so critical in this era of great challenges in our environment and in our society,” she said “New England School of Art & Design graduates can be found in every major architectural and design firm in the Greater Boston area and beyond. I am so proud of them”
The ASID committee will recognize Hackett’s "passion for education and student interests [demonstrated through] a lifelong commitment to the design industry and the future creators of innovative environments" in an awards ceremony on Friday, March 31, at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
The American Society of Interior Designers is an organization that promotes the value of interior design and communicates its impact on the human experience. It supports designers at every stage of their careers, beginning in the student years.
