PAVE NEWS & UPDATES

PAVE Global, in partnership with VMSD, is pleased to announce the return of the VMSD Scholarship + Experience for its sixth year, supporting students preparing for careers in retail and consumer environment design. One student will receive a $1,500 scholarship and the opportunity to attend the 2026 International Retail Design Conference (IRDC) in Las Vegas, October 7–8. The experience includes airfare, hotel accommodations, a daily per diem, and attendance at the two-day conf

Adrianna Kimmitt had noticed in-store POP displays for years. “I have always been fascinated by them, and I would take pictures. I just didn’t know what profession created them,” she says. Now she’s well on her way to being a driving force behind them, and she credits PAVE Global with several steps along that journey.

Nominations are now open for the 2026 PAVE Educator of the Year Award, recognizing an outstanding educator making a meaningful impact on students and the design profession. Nominations are free and will be accepted through October 30, 2026.

PAVE Global awarded $30,000 in financial assistance to 30 design students representing 24 institutions worldwide through its 2026 Student Aid Program. A record 30 volunteer judges reviewed this year’s applications.

PAVE Global, in partnership with OPTO International, is proud to announce that nominations are now open for the 19th Annual PAVE Global Rising Star Award.

PAVE Global is now accepting submissions for the 2026 Inspired by Design: PAVE Student Visionary Award. Now in its fourth year, the award recognizes one exceptional student whose innovative design thinking has the potential to shape the future of consumer environments. The selected recipient will receive a $7,500 cash award, travel support to attend the 28th Annual PAVE Gala in New York City, national industry recognition, and an award for their school or educator.

PAVE Global is proud to introduce the International Student of the Season: Emerging Designer Stewardship Award, a new quarterly recognition program celebrating students who make a meaningful impact beyond their design work. Nominated by educators, the award honors leadership, mentorship, community involvement, and service while providing a $1,500 educational award to one outstanding student each quarter.

Yanira Rivas, a junior Interior Design student at Cal State Long Beach, has been named the 2026 Bergmeyer Scholarship + Experience recipient. Selected for her thoughtful, human-centered approach to design, Rivas will receive a $6,000 scholarship and participate in an immersive mentorship at Bergmeyer’s Boston headquarters.

Jenny Bae Huggon, a fourth-year Interior Design student at Sheridan College, deepened her interest in a retail design career after a European experience awarded by PAVE Global and euro a go go.

PAVE Global and Shop! Association name Adrianna Kimmitt, a senior Graphic Design student at SCAD, as the recipient of the 2026 Shop! Scholarship + Experience, awarded to one student pursuing a career in retail, hospitality, or consumer environment design.