NYSID Unleashes Problem Solvers at Commencement 2026
Class of 2026
On Wednesday, May 20, at Commencement 2026, 119 students from 19 countries graduated from the New York School of Interior Design, including distance learners and those who could not attend in person. NYSID President David Sprouls acknowledged the uncertainty of this historic moment caused by AI, the climate crisis, and more. “Designers are uniquely equipped to navigate change because design itself is an act of problem-solving, adaptation, and optimism,” said Sprouls to a crowd gathered at NYU Skirball Center’s auditorium to cheer on the Class of 2026. “I have enormous confidence in this graduating class. You have demonstrated resilience, discipline, and imagination during your time here, and those qualities will serve you well no matter how the world changes.”
The degrees bestowed were the Associate in Applied Science in Interior Design (AAS), Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design (BFA), Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design (MFA1), Post-Professional Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design (MFA2), Master of Professional Studies in Design of Healthcare Environments (MPSH), Master of Professional Studies in Lighting Design (MPSL), and Master of Professional Studies in Sustainable Interior Environments (MPSS).
Said Ellen Kravet, Chair of NYSID’s board, “I have been in the design business for 40 years and I can say from experience that it is a dynamic, exciting, enjoyable, and rewarding profession. You have all chosen well. As you cross this stage, you join a large community, and you’re in very good company.”
Honorary doctorate recipients Dennis Scully and Ann Pyne with NYSID President David Sprouls and NYSID Board Chairman Ellen Kravet
Advice and Insight from Commencement Speakers Ann Pyne and Dennis Scully
NYSID granted two pioneers in the profession Honorary Doctorates of Fine Arts in Interior Design. Both commencement speakers shared advice gleaned from their extraordinary careers before President Sprouls draped the doctoral hoods over their shoulders.
The first commencement speaker was Ann Pyne, President of McMillen Inc., the oldest continuously operating full-service interior design firm in America, founded in 1924. She’s also the recipient of NYSID’s 2024 Albert Hadley Lifetime Achievement Award. She was introduced by NYSID Trustee David Scott '91 (BFA), who said, “What makes Ann’s work especially meaningful is her reverence for process and craftsmanship. She has long championed the artisans, tradespeople, and makers whose expertise is essential to great interiors. . .”
Pyne commented, “This is the honor of my life.” To the class of 2026 she said, “As soon as you have a chance, make a copy of your diploma. Then, rip it up in your head and ask yourself what you don’t know. There is always more learning ahead of you.” Her advice ranged from the philosophical to the intensely practical. One of her tips for designers starting out in the field was, “When you get sent out shopping, come back with what you were sent for. . .but also something you were not told to get. I can’t count the number of times this has transformed a project.”
The second commencement speaker was Dennis Scully, host of the popular Business of Home podcast and curator and host of NYSID’s Dialogues on Design series of conversations with leaders of the profession, which benefits NYSID scholarships. NYSID Trustee Jim Druckman, President and CEO of the New York Design Center, introduced Scully with the words, “Design media, at its best, does far more than report trends or showcase beautiful rooms. It helps define the values, ambitions, and future direction of the industry. Today, we are honored to recognize someone who has become one of the most respected and insightful voices in that arena.”
Scully expressed, “This school has given me much more than an honorary degree. [My work on behalf of NYSID students] has given me. . .purpose.” Scully had abundant words of wisdom, including, “This industry has a long history of underselling what it does and underpricing what it is worth, all while quietly transforming the way people live. . .Do not let anyone talk you out of charging what you are worth. The world will not place a higher value on your work than you do.”
Student speakers Swagatika Rath ’26 (MFA1) and Xinrou Qiu ’26 (BFA)
Two Incredible Student Speakers
The Class of 2026 selected two speakers to represent the student body: Xinrou Qiu (BFA) and Swagatika Rath (MFA1).
Qiu grew up in a rural fishing village in China and came to the US at age 19 on her own, working in restaurants to support herself. She is the first in her family to graduate from college. She said, “Design and life are about becoming better, not becoming the best. Along the way, please don’t compare yourself to others. We are not here to become the best version of someone else. We are here to become the truest version of ourselves.”
Rath said, “NYSID has taught us more than drafting, rendering, or space planning. It taught us resilience. It taught us how to adapt when things don’t go according to plan. . . .We are not just dreamers. We are doers.”
Robert Herring Travel Prize winner Nina Roy ’26 (MFA1) and Ellen S. Fisher, PhD, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean
2026 Student & Faculty Achievement Award Winners
The Chairman’s Award
For overall academic performance
Xinrou Qui (BFA)
Joella Choi Lam Lai (MFA1)
Caerie Corsitto (MFA2)
*MPS award winners will be named in the summer
The Ana Blanc Verna Award for Excellence in Interior Design
For exceptional creativity and vision
Hanna Kerez (BFA)
The Alumni Award
For academic excellence and service to the College
Yan-Ju Yin (BFA)
Julia Young-Mi Kim (MFA1)
The Robert Herring Travel Prize
A travel grant awarded on the basis of an essay and proposal
Mariia Dolinsky (BFA), Destination: South Korea
Nina Roy (MFA1), Destination: Portugal
The William Breger Faculty Achievement Award
For an outstanding faculty member nominated by a peer and elected by past Breger fellows.
Stefanie Werner
Werner’s faculty nominator wrote, “She is dedicated to engaging and inspiring students to develop their unique design voices and passions, fostering curiosity about design and its relevance to humanity.” Werner is a Registered Architect, LEED AP, Certified Passive House Designer, Healthy Material Advocate and the co-founder of DAS Studio.
Resilient Designers Change the World
Dean Fisher said to the graduating class, “I know that our collective future as a community, a country, and a world will be better because of you and the wonderful spaces and places you are going to create.”