Danae Marie Ledgerwood Wins Gensler Brinkmann Scholarship

Gensler announced the winner of the Gensler Brinkmann Scholarship competition at Contract magazine’s 30th Annual Interiors Awards Breakfast in New York City. Danae Marie Ledgerwood, a senior at Woodbury University in Whittier, California, received the $7,500 academic scholarship and a post-graduation internship with Gensler.

“It’s critical to promote the professional development of young talent in the design industry and Gensler is proud to support this through our annual Brinkmann scholarship program,” says Robin Klehr Avia, Managing Principal in Gensler’s New York office.

Ledgerwood’s winning submission was chosen from over 80 candidates from top colleges and universities across the nation. Her project titled “Preemptive Media” presents the development of a residency program and working environment for interactive media designers and underground artists. The project explores innovative delivery and archiving systems for digital art through the various spaces she designed.

The Gensler Brinkmann Scholarship Fund was established in 1999 as a memorial to Donald G. Brinkmann, a gifted interior designer, inspirational leader, and former partner at Gensler. The scholarship fund celebrates Brinkmann’s career-long commitment to nurturing new design talent by presenting outstanding interior design students with an internship and a financial award to be applied to their final year of school. Candidates for the scholarship must attend a CIDA-accredited school and are evaluated based upon their analysis and problem solving skills, design development, graphic presentation, communication skills, and passion. The scholarship is funded by Gensler’s own fundraising efforts and contributions from the New York design community. Contract magazine, a commercial design industry publication, co-sponsors the scholarship.

Images: Gensler/Ledgerwood