The New York School of Interior Design Honors Jeffrey Bilhuber, Christopher Spitzmiller, and Alberto Villalobos at Annual Gala

New York, New York – March 6, 2019 – On March 5, the New York School of Interior Design, a leader in the study of interior design, held its tenth annual gala at a private club in Midtown Manhattan. The black-tie affair celebrated the achievements of stand-out designers, innovators and emerging leaders in the design industry as part of its annual gala to raise money for its scholarship fund, becoming the College’s largest fundraising event. Donations and ticket sales for the evening totaled more than half a million dollars.

“This has been a banner year for the New York School of Interior Design,” said NYSID president David Sprouls. “In celebrating our most successful gala yet, NYSID is grateful for the generous support from our friends and supporters. Their commitment to the College demonstrates their confidence in the strength of our academic programs and in the potential of tomorrow’s designers, who we have the privilege to educate.”

The Gala drew hundreds of friends and supporters from across New York City and the country to honor some of the industry’s most talented individuals including interior designer Jeffrey Bilhuber, who received the Albert Hadley Lifetime Achievement Award, and lamp designer Christopher Spitzmiller who received the inaugural Larry Kravet Design Industry Innovation Award. The Gala marked the debut of another new award, generously sponsored by The Shade Store, The Rising Star Award which acknowledges young designers, like alumni Alberto Villalobos ‘06, who show extraordinary talent and are just hitting their stride in the industry.

In his acceptance remarks, Jeffrey Bilhuber says: “At the beginning of my career, Albert Hadley told me to have all of my projects photographed because people will learn from them. Educating students is the whole point of this award. He was right. He also said it’s not as easy as it looks. He was right on that too. It’s tough and takes enormous devotion and discipline… I am proud to accept this award, and honored to share my insights, vision, knowledge, and experience. In the words of another recent award winner, “I did my best, and my best is good enough.”

In addition to the awards given, Gala attendees heard compelling firsthand experience of alumnae and two-time Charlotte Moss Scholarship recipient Rachel Edelstein:

“When I think about my NYSID experience, two words come to mind: “Promises Fulfilled,” said Rachel Edelstein ’18. She continued, “It wasn’t easy, and I didn’t do it alone. During my Junior year, I received a letter saying I’d been awarded the Charlotte Moss Scholarship, and I cannot stress its impact enough. Charlotte Moss’s generosity in endowing this award made a critical difference for me: it helped reduce my debt and enabled me to buy a laptop. Buying that laptop meant I could work as many hours as it would take to give school my all. And believe me, day and night, I gave it my all.

 Rachel is currently an Architectural Designer at Beyer Blinder Belle’s Washington, D.C. office. 

The gala’s attendees included: Martha Stewart; Amy Astley; Jim Druckman; Alexa Hampton; Bunny Williams; Jamie Drake; Ellie Cullman; Juan Montoya; Alison and Laurent Levasseuer; Harry Heissman; Dolly Fox; Wendy Goodman; Charlotte Moss; Emilia Vincent; Tony Freund; Kate Brodsky; Rickard Langham; Jacqueline Terrebonne; Stephen Sills; Tham Kannalikham; Alexa Hampton; Brian Sawyer; Robert Rufino; Alex Papachristidis; Edmund Hollander; Mike Moser; Ralph Rucci; and many more.

 The event was co-chaired by New York School of Interior Design Trustees Jill H. Dienst, Alexa Hampton, David Kleinberg, Susan Nagle, Betsey Ruprecht, Patricia M. Sovern, and Maria Spears. 

About New York School of Interior Design

New York School of Interior Design is a private, nonprofit college focused exclusively on interior design. The college offers certificate, undergraduate, and graduate programs for students at all stages of their careers—whether they’re just becoming familiar with the discipline, considering a career change, or looking to deepen knowledge in a particular area. Consistently ranked one of the top interior design programs in the United States, students study both residential and commercial interior design, some with specialties in sustainable design, lighting, and healthcare interiors. NYSID students enjoy a small class size and sharp focus, a great deal of personal attention from dedicated faculty, and they go on to practice at the highest levels of the profession. To learn more, visit NYSID.edu.

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