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© 2025 Interior Design Educators Council
The Arnold P. Friedmann Educator of Distinction Award (AFEDA) is presented to a current or former IDEC member in recognition of significant, sustained, and distinguished contributions in interior design education. Specifically, the recipient will have shown a demonstrated leadership in interior design education; will have demonstrated an impact on the profession (e.g. through student success, curriculum development, innovation, scholarship, etc.); as well as demonstrated excellence in teaching. Candidates must be current or former IDEC members. Any IDEC member can nominate a person for the AFEDA.
Candidates must be current or former IDEC members who made sustained contributions to the IDEC organization and/or the field of interior design education. Any IDEC member in good standing can nominate a person for the Arnold P. Friedmann Educator of Distinction Award.
Each nomination shall contain the following information:
The IDEC Awards Committee (Co)Chairs will receive the nominations prior to selecting a chair for the AFEDA Selection Committee (SC) to ensure no conflicts of interest. Ideally, the most recent recipient of the award will be the chair. The remaining committee members will be chosen by the chair of the SC and consist of the following:
Upon naming the chair of the AFEDA SC, the IDEC Award Committee (Co)Chairs will make available all materials to the committee chair so that (s)he may begin forming the committee. The chair of the AFEDA SC will share the committee’s decision with the IDEC Award Committee (Co)Chairs who will then be responsible for passing this information to the Director of the Service Collaborative and the IDEC Executive Director. The IDEC President will notify the AFEDA recipient in a timely manner to ensure that the recipient can plan to attend the Awards Ceremony at the next Annual Conference and so that IDEC headquarters will begin publicizing the celebration of this individual.
Please note that awardees will be asked to maintain a service commitment to this award for three years following the award acceptance. This service ensures sustained knowledge and excellence in the review process. A willingness to participate will be requested prior to the subsequent year’s awards review.
2025 – : Joan Dickinson
2024 – Jill Pable, Ph.D., FIDEC, ASID, Florida State University
2023 – Lisa M. Tucker, Ph.D., FIDEC, FASID, Professor and Department Head, Virginia Tech
2020 – Marjorie Kriebel, FIDEC, FIIDA, Professor Emerita, College of Media Arts & Design, Drexel University
2019 – Lisa Waxman, Ph.D., FIDEC, ASID, LEED-AP ID+C, Professor & Chair, Department of Interior Architecture & Design, Florida State University
2018- Allison Carll-White, Ph.D., FIIDA, FIDEC, Professor, School of the Interiors and Adjunct Professor, Department of Historic Preservation, University of Kentucky
2017– Anna Marshall-Baker, Ph.D., FIDEC, Professor Department Chair, Department of Interior Architecture, University of North Carolina, Greensboro
2015 – Denise Guerin, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, College of Design, University of Minnesota
2014 – Joy Dohr, Ph.D., FIDEC, Professor Emeritus, Design Studies, School of Human Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
2013 – Dorothy Fowles, Ph.D., FIDEC, FASID, FIIDA, CID/IA, Professor Emeritus, College of Design, Department of Art and Design, Iowa State University
2012 – Buie Harwood, MFA, FIDEC, Hon. FASID, CID/VA, Professor Emeritus, Department of Interior Design, School of the Arts, Virginia Commonwealth University
2011 – Arnold Friedmann, Ph.D., FIDEC, Hon. ASID, Hon. FIIDA, and Professor Emeritus, Art Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
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