Every year, the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), sponsors a student charrette that is open to all student members throughout the valley. The local chapter, ASID AZ North, is a strong supporter of this event.

The event is structured after the NCIDQ exam, which is a 3-day exam required for certification in both the U.S. and Canada. It is a day-long event that is designed to give students a feel for the exam, preparing them for when they are ready to sit for it.

By hosting the event yearly, ASID provides students the rare opportunity to experience a “mini” version of the exam by participating in the event as many times as they want before they graduate. As the adage “practice makes perfect” goes, ASID hopes that students become less anxious and more prepared for the 3-day exam. In a state where licensure is currently not regulated, ASID is making a strong commitment to the future of Interior Design in the valley by supporting the NCIDQ exam through events such as this. By encouraging our students to become certified, we are positioning them to be highly qualified and knowledgeable interior designers – after all, interior designers have a commitment to safe guard the health, safety and welfare of the public when practicing interior design. The competition is an exercise on collaboration, cooperation, teamwork, creative problem-solving and time management. The students are put in groups, given the same design problem and are expected to present their solution to a panel of seasoned judges.

This year, JCJ Architecture's Interior Designer Aileen Montelongo took part in the 3 person panel that reviewed the work of 2 groups of aspiring designers. The winning group will be announced in April during ASID AZ North’s Career Day and will be honored at the annual Design Excellence Awards Gala in August.

Aileen Montelongo, RID, ASID, IIDA, NCIDQ

Interior Designer

About ASID:

The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) is a community of people — designers, industry representatives, educators and students — committed to interior design. Through education, knowledge sharing, advocacy, community building and outreach, ASID strives to advance the interior design profession and, in the process, to demonstrate and celebrate the power of design to positively change people’s lives.