Today, we are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2022 CFDA Scholar Awards.
The program is awarding 26 scholarships this year. The CFDA received 372 submissions via a new open-access application approach to encourage increased community inclusion and expanded reach. The criteria for selection included financial need, talent, and professional potential.
“The CFDA continues to invest in the future of the American fashion industry and its ecosystem,” said CFDA CEO Steven Kolb. “Our 2022 goal was to meet or exceed the 81 percent of last year’s scholarships awarded to diverse and underrepresented student design talent, and we’re proud to have reached this goal.”
For 2022, four additional CFDA scholarships were made possible through the establishment of designated funds through CFDA donations made by digital creator Avani Gregg and by Häagen-Dazs. Additionally, Coach Foundation is awarding an unprecedented 15 scholarships this year.
See below for the full list of recipients.
The 2022 CFDA Design Scholar Award Recipients are:
CFDA Design Scholar Awards ($25,000 each):
Maliki Gilbert, Savannah College of Art and Design; Drake Dabbs, The University of Texas at Austin (Undergraduate)
Jasmin Risk, Parsons School of Design (Graduate)
Scholarship by Avani Gregg ($25,000):
Tara Sears, Marist College
Scholarships by Häagen-Dazs ($25,000 each):
Alissa Divak, Marist College
Arjahn Cox, Parsons School of Design
Bradford Billingsley, Parsons School of Design
Heejin Hwang, Fashion Institute of Technology
Coach Dream It Real x CFDA Design Scholarship Award ($200,000 total):
Andrea Cordova, Fashion Institute of Technology
Angel Pan, Parsons School of Design
Anna (Grace) Gordon, Parsons School of Design
Blake DeWitt, Fashion Institute of Technology
Dylan Unzicker-Krone, Fashion Institute of Technology
Elizabeth Dewald, Parsons School of Design
Farah Shahrour, Kent State University
Helen Sotropa, Parsons School of Design
Keanu Williams, Fashion Institute of Technology
Lydia Ross, Academy of Art University
Marina Matozzo, Marist College
Ping Edmunds, Fashion Institute of Technology
Samuel Pickett, Parsons School of Design
Vivian Luo, Parsons School of Design
Yue Zi, Rhode Island School of Design
Re: Generation Innovation Scholar Award CFDA + Swarovski Foundation ($30,000):
Isabella Kostrzewa, Parsons School of Design
Liz Claiborne Design for Impactful Futures Scholar Award ($25,000):
Melany Corchado, Parsons School of Design
Geoffrey Beene Design Masters Scholar Award ($50,000):
Haixi Ren, Parsons School of Design
This year’s various selection committees included: Abrima Erwiah of Studio One Eighty Nine; Edvin Thompson of Theophilio; Dominique Drakeford of Sustainable Brooklyn; Peter Hu of 3.1 Phillip Lim; fashion environmentalist Runa Ray; digital creator Avani Gregg; Emily Chou of Nestle; Kelly Patterson of The Door; Tom and Mara Hutton of the Geoffrey Beene Foundation; Marisa Schiestl-Swarovski and Maika Nakaoka of the Swarovski Foundation, and Sara Kozlowski of the CFDA.
The CFDA’s commitment to education began in 1996 with the establishment of the CFDA Scholarship Program founded by CFDA Member Monika Tilley. Talented scholarship recipients have progressed to prominent industry roles such as Jacques Agbobly of Black Boy Knits (2019), Peter Som (1996), the inaugural CFDA Scholarship Award recipient, Chris Benz (2003), and Jack McCollough of Proenza Schouler (2001).
Between 1996 and 2021, the CFDA has awarded approximately $2.7 million and 321 scholarships. All CFDA scholarships are earmarked for tuition, and thesis collection/portfolio expenses.
