Berkeley College Student Awarded Scholarship by NJ Chapter of American Society of Interior Designers
Friday, May 7, 2021
Senior Associate, Media Relations
973-200-1048
Chanel-Donaldso@BerkeleyCollege.edu
Photo Caption: Nadine Eltalkhawi of Marlboro, NJ, who will be graduating from Berkeley College in May with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design, was awarded the Steven Levy and Pat Montalbano Emerging Professionals Scholarship by the NJ Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID NJ) on April 28, 2021.
Nadine Eltalkhawi of Marlboro, NJ, was named the winner of the Steven Levy and Pat Montalbano Emerging Professionals Scholarship Fund by the New Jersey Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID NJ) on Wednesday, April 28, 2021. Eltalkhawi, a student in the Honors Program at Berkeley College, in Woodland Park, NJ, will graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design in May.
The award was presented to Eltalkhawi by Reyna Dominguez, Marketing Account Executive, Sherwin Williams, and Tammy Bolden, Principal and Owner, Bold Interior Designs, LLC, during a virtual Round Table discussion hosted by Design NJ Magazine for more than 60 attendees. The scholarship provides Eltalkhawi with two years of membership to ASID NJ, a national organization that advances the field of interior design and facilitates professional development for its affiliates.
“Thank you so much, it’s such a blessing,” said Eltalkhawi. “I would not be where I am without ASID. I really love this organization.”
Eltalkhawi said she has been inspired by the various cultural influences she received living in different parts of the United States, and abroad in Egypt and Qatar. She describes her design style as an eclectic mix of Middle Eastern, Victorian and Scandinavian influences.
Photo Caption: Digital renderings of the exterior (left) and interior (right) of a pizza parlor renovation created by Nadine Eltalkhawi of Marlboro, NJ, as part of her capstone project in the Berkeley College Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design program. Eltalkhawi’s redesign of Pasquale’s Pizzeria in Wall Township, NJ, features two levels, one for a traditional dining experience and another for customers to have a hands-on pizza-making experience. Credit: Nadine Eltalkhawi
“We are very excited to be connecting with a new emerging professional. We welcome you (to ASID NJ),” said Dominguez in her opening remarks during the award presentation. “Just know that we are here for you not only as industry partners, but as friends to guide you into your next steps.”
A Dream Not Deferred, Thanks to Berkeley College and ASID NJ
Eltalkhawi first fell in love with interior design after discovering the HGTV network as a child. She said she almost gave up on her dreams as a result of the pandemic.
“There was a point where I lost hope … I doubted myself and aspirations and lost a lot of motivation during the pandemic. Finding an internship was really difficult,” said Eltalkhawi.
Thanks to a recommendation from her instructor at Berkeley College, Jeffery McCullough, who serves as Chair of ASID NJ’s Student Affairs Committee, Eltalkhawi secured an internship with DRP Interiors in Franklin Lakes, NJ, during her final semester in January 2021. She now works full-time as a designer with the firm. DRP Interiors assists residential clients and is an eight-time winner of the ASID Design Excellence Award.
“Being an active member of ASID and part of the New Jersey design community put Nadine where she needed to be to seize the chance to continue to participate in the organization post-graduation as an emerging designer. I am confident Nadine will be a valuable member of the design profession,” said McCullough.
“Having people by my side, especially professors who are so understanding, helped me and my classmates get through this pandemic,” said Eltalkhawi.
With the support she received from Berkeley College faculty and her peers, Eltalkhawi said she looks forward to a fruitful career in a burgeoning field.
Berkeley College celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2021. The theme commemorating this milestone is “Empowering Lives for 90 Years!” Visit the 90th Anniversary webpage for more information.
About Berkeley College
Berkeley College, founded in 1931, is a career-focused institution accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education that offers students Master’s, Bachelor’s, and Associate’s degree and Certificate programs in more than 20 career fields. The College also offers continuing education programs to enhance career credentials.
Berkeley College has campuses in Newark, Paramus, Woodbridge, and Woodland Park, NJ, as well as in Midtown Manhattan and White Plains, NY, with more than 4,900 students enrolled. In addition, Berkeley College Online® serves a global population. U.S. News & World Report has named Berkeley College among the Best Colleges for Online Bachelor’s Programs and among the Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans, for eight consecutive years. The website address is www.BerkeleyCollege.edu.
The mission of Berkeley College is to empower students to achieve lifelong success in dynamic careers.
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