New York, NY - March 11, 2010 - For the second consecutive year, New York School of Interior Design (NYSID) students have been invited to participate in Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS’ (DIFFA) Dining By Design, a fundraising event that brings together celebrated individuals in the worlds of fashion, interior design, art, and architecture to create extraordinary dining environments. The event is open to the public from March 18 – 22, 2010 at Pier 94 (12th Avenue at 55th Street), New York City.

The four participating NYSID students include Isis Delomez, Brooke Lichtenstein, Whitney Vlasaty, and Yiannos Vrousgos. René Estacio is their faculty advisor, assisted by professors Debra Bryant and John Katimaris The students’ design involves a "cradle to cradle" concept that repurposes used materials to give new life to used objects. The NYSID students worked with mentor Michael Tavano, custom window treatment and upholstered furniture designer.

“DIFFA's Dining by Design is a fabulous event, and all for a good cause!” said NYSID faculty member René Estacio. “The Design Team worked fast and furious to bring their concept to fruition.”

"The New York School of Interior Design is honored to participate again in Dining By Design “added NYSID president Christopher J. Cyphers. “I am extremely proud that our students’ environmentally conscious design will help to highlight the important work done by DIFFA. (at right, Isis Delomez, Whitney Vlasaty, Rene Estacio, Brooke Lichtenstein, and Yiannos Vrousgos)

The students’ work will be on view adjacent to the Architectural Digest Home Design Show (www.archdigesthomeshow.com). Tickets are $25 and include admission to both events. For more information including tickets to Cocktails by Design (March 18), Table Hop & Taste (March 21) and the Gala Dinner (March 22), visit www.diffa.org or call 212.727.3100.

Concurrently, NYSID will display 30 student design and models from the BFA and MFA furniture design studios. NYSID is the only educational institution invited to have a booth at the show.

The Student Design Initiative by Dining By Design invites students from several top New York City design schools—including NYSID, Fashion Institute of Technology, Parsons, NYU and School of Visual Arts who are paired with mentors and given a strict budget. The goal of the program is to give the next generation of designers the opportunity to work with some of the best design veterans in the business and participate in one of the industry’s keynote events.

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About DIFFA
DIFFA: Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS is one of the largest funders of HIV/AIDS service and education programs in the United States. Since being founded in 1984, DIFFA has mobilized the immense resources of the design communities to provide over $35 million to hundreds of AIDS service organizations nationwide. For more than 23 years, DIFFA has been one of the country’s largest supporters of both direct care for people living with AIDS and preventative education for those at risk.

About NYSID
Founded in 1916, the New York School of Interior Design (NYSID) is New York’s only private, not-for-profit college devoted exclusively to interior design education and related disciplines. NYSID’s guiding principle is that the interior environment is a fundamental element of human welfare and the college is committed to actively improving the quality of life for all segments of humanity. This ideal is put into practice by a dedicated faculty of well-known designers, architects, art historians and authorities in the field who guide a diverse student body of over 700 full-and part-time students.

NYSID offers certificate, undergraduate and graduate programs in the field of interior design. The college is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and NYSID’s BFA is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA).