APDesign In the News
Designing Her Future: K-State’s Sammie Skinner Wins Prestigious $30,000 Angelo Donghia Scholarship
Kansas State University’s College of Architecture, Planning & Design (APDesign) is proud to announce that Sammie Skinner, a fourth-year interior design student in the department of Interior Architecture & Industrial Design, has been awarded the Angelo Donghia Foundation Scholarship, one of the most competitive honors in interior design education nationwide.
The scholarship provides $30,000 to support Skinner’s final year of study, allowing her to fully dedicate her time and energy to design innovation.
“For me, design has always been about shaping spaces where people feel a sense of belonging and possibility,” Skinner said. “This scholarship allows me to dream bigger—it’s a reminder that design has the power to make people’s lives better.”
The Donghia Scholarship, established in memory of celebrated designer Angelo Donghia, recognizes students who exemplify creativity, authenticity, and design excellence. Only a select group of students nationwide is chosen each year.
Behind Skinner’s success is the mentorship of Professors Barbara Anderson, Hyungchan Kim and Mike Dudek and Assistant Professor Kristianna Johnson, who guided her through the demanding application process.
“Sammie has a remarkable ability to balance creativity with clarity of purpose,” said Barbara Anderson, professor of interior design. “Her design work reflects both innovation and empathy, qualities that are at the heart of our discipline. This recognition affirms not only Sammie’s talent and dedication, but also the strength of our students to make meaningful contributions to the profession.”
“Sammie’s work demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of design as both a creative discipline and a tool for meaningful human experience,” Johnson said. “This honor reflects her talent, hard work, and potential to make an impact in the profession.”
Skinner joins an impressive K-State legacy, following APDesign alumni Taylor Hegarty (’19) and Kanoa San Miguel (’20) as recipients of this prestigious award.
NEXT Project Recognition
In addition to the Donghia Scholarship, Skinner’s design work was also selected as one of K-State’s two submissions for the national Steelcase NEXT Competition.
This year’s NEXT program challenged students to design a 16,000 sq. ft. Chicago office for NEXT, a global advertising agency expanding to Fulton Market. Skinner’s concept used light as a design metaphor—through ideation, dispersion, reflection, and recombination—to shape inclusive, biophilic workplaces that mirror Chicago’s architectural and artistic heritage.
Her design emphasized spaces for creativity, hybrid collaboration, and well-being, aligning with NEXT’s values of innovation and employee individuality.
A Bright Future in Design
As Skinner prepares to graduate, she carries forward the Donghia legacy and the APDesign spirit of excellence, continuing the college’s reputation for producing designers ready to compete—and lead—on the national stage.
“K-State students consistently demonstrate that they can hold their own among the best in the country,” Johnson noted. “Sammie’s recognition reaffirms the strength of our program and the bright future of our graduates.”