The College of Architecture is pleased to announce Dean Katherine S. Ankerson, FIIDA, was one of six International Interior Design Association (IIDA) members inducted into the prestigious IIDA College of Fellows for 2020.

Ankerson joins an elite peerage, an honor few can claim with less than 1% of IIDA members elevated to the College of Fellows, and of those fellows, only a select few are full-time educators.

According to IIDA, induction into the College of Fellows honors a member’s achievements and contributions to the profession and the association. It is the highest and most prestigious honor IIDA bestows. The College of Fellows is composed of members who have demonstrated outstanding and exemplary professionalism and leadership.

“The IIDA College of Fellows honors IIDA members who have demonstrated significant accomplishments within the association and their own design communities. This year’s inductees are thought leaders, inspiring educators and design innovators. We are pleased to be welcoming them for this term,” said College of Fellows Chair Guy Geier, FIIDA.

This fellowship adds to Ankerson’s long list of accolades and accomplishments as an educator and advocate for the design community. In addition to the IIDA fellowship, Ankerson was honored by the Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC) in 2017 as a fellow and has held numerous prestigious professional positions. She has served as a board member for design organizations such as the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA), the American Institute of Architects-Nebraska (AIA NE), the AIA NE Foundation, the Nuckolls Fund for Lighting Education and IDEC among other professional contributions.

In addition to IIDA, Ankerson is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC). She is also a licensed architect in Washington and Nebraska and holds a National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) certificate.

“It is humbling to be named an IIDA fellow and listed among the ranks of professionals who I’ve always admired,” commented Dean Ankerson. “As with every honor there is opportunity, and I hope to learn from this esteemed peerage of designers and galvanize the next generation of designers to be leaders and innovators who will plan boldly, design fearlessly and realize their limitless potential for what is possible.”