APPLICATION DEADLINE: OCTOBER 21, 2026, BEFORE 11:59 PM EASTERN/8:59 PM PACIFIC  

Since 1992, PAVE Global's mission has been to mentor, inspire, and connect student designers to the extraordinary professional world of creating and designing consumer environments. 

To commemorate its 30th anniversary in 2023, PAVE introduced a prestigious new accolade to honor and acknowledge rising student visionaries. These exceptional individuals are anticipated to revolutionize the industry with their groundbreaking concepts and designs, making a positive impact on the world around us through design.

AWARD

All submissions will be judged blindly by a panel of industry professionals. One student will be selected to receive the following:

• $7,500 cash prize
• An invitation to attend the 2026 PAVE Gala on December 10th in New York City to network with Industry Professionals and be honored for this award. Travel, hotel, and per diem will be covered.
• $1,000 to the student's school/department or educator for travel to attend the 2026 PAVE Gala (to be determined by the school or department)  

ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES

• Student must be currently enrolled in a 2 to 4-year undergraduate or graduate program working toward a degree in design, architecture, or visual merchandising with an interest in pursuing a career creating and designing consumer environments.​
• Student must be a full-time student, enrolled in at least 12 credit hours or equivalent.​
• Student must be located and studying within North America.

If you are unsure if you are eligible to participate, please contact us at info@paveglobal.org.

SUBMISSION PROCESS    Students will prepare and submit (4) 11"x 17" boards containing their own pre-existing, relevant design work following the outlined process and criteria. 

OVERARCHING STATEMENT: 

All projects must be innovative in nature. Projects should exemplify creativity and be distinguished by their unique and thoughtful design thinking. Each solution must solve one or more of the following subtopics:

• Human-centered Design
• Inclusive/Universal Design
• Cultural Awareness/DEI
• Contemporary/Reactive Design
• Sustainability/Adaptive Reuse

If submitting group work, students must be clear about their role in the project. The submitting student must have made a significant impact working on the project and must credit collaborators.

STEP 1 - Pick one of your projects that embodies one of the following subtopics:

• Human-centered Design
• Inclusive/Universal Design
• Cultural Awareness/DEI
• Contemporary/Reactive Design
• Sustainability/Adaptive Reuse

​If you are unsure if your project falls under one of the above subtopics, please contact us at info@paveglobal.org, and we'd be happy to provide guidance.

​

STEP 2 - Create (4) 11” x 17” boards per the following criteria (important note: the same one project is to be used for all four boards):

• Board 1: 
  • ​Design/project title
  • Project imagery: graphic elements of the selected project
  • Project Inquiry: What was your approach and research process for this project? What is the foundation of your design thinking? (Example: concept, parti, EBD, design theories)

      

• Board 2:  
  • Design/project title
  • Project imagery: graphic elements of the selected project
  • Project Inquiry: Which sub-topic was addressed and how? Why are you interested in this topic?

      

• Board 3:  
  • Design/project title
  • Project imagery: graphic elements of the selected project
  • Project Inquiry: Did you learn anything unexpected during the process?

      

• Board 4:  
  • Design/project title
  • Project imagery: graphic elements of the selected project
  • Project Inquiry: Do you think you accomplished your goals, and how?

      

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

• PAVE utilizes a blind judging system; the student's name and/or school may not appear anywhere on the (4) project boards.
• Boards should be submitted as PDFs in 11x17 landscape (horizontal) format. 
• Must include a complete copy of your current transcript (official or unofficial).**
• All submissions and supporting documents must be submitted through the Submittable platform.
• All applications must be received by Wednesday, October 21, 2026, by 11:59 PM ET/8:59 PM PT to be considered.

​ ** Transcripts are utilized by PAVE administration to confirm your eligibility to participate as a current student. Transcripts will not be visible to judges on the review panel.​​​​

HAVE A QUESTION?

• For the quickest answers, check the Frequently Asked Questions page. If your question is still unanswered, please contact us at info@paveglobal.org.
• FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT IS A RISING STAR?

PAVE Global is thrilled to announce the 19th Annual Rising Star Award, now open for nominations and honoring exceptional individuals shaping the future of the consumer environments industry!

A Rising Star is a young professional who has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills in the brand environment industry. These emerging leaders anticipate their clients' needs, motivate their teams, turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, and inspire consumers.

RECOMMEND A PAVE RISING STAR

Retailers, brands, designers, and industry suppliers are encouraged to recognize an individual's extraordinary contributions and talented mindset as innovators and leaders among their peers by nominating them for this award. Additionally, young professionals who meet the criteria of a Rising Star are eligible to self-nominate.

Reflecting on the blended channels that comprise a brand today, you can shine a spotlight on your nominee with a prestigious accolade that will be a testament to their visionary influence and inspiration throughout their career!

Nominations are free and can motivate a nominee to do even more great things. Gather some of their work and tell us why you think they should become the next PAVE Rising Star!

The PAVE Rising Star judges are looking for individuals who are original, passionate visionaries. A Rising Star nominee is intuitive in decision-making, willing to take risks, ambitious, persistent, resourceful, and socially responsible. They demonstrate authenticity in their designs and can implement sustainable projects.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

• Nominees may be from your organization or another.
• Nominees must be engaged in the design or supply of retail environments. This includes designers, visual merchandisers, store planners, and project managers.
• Nominees must be 40 years of age or younger as of December 2026.
• Nominations can be self-submitted or submitted by a retailer, brand, design firm, or industry supplier.

​ NOMINATION REQUIREMENTS

• Attach three to five supporting materials that demonstrate what makes the nominee a Rising Star. Provide descriptions of images, including program intent and a brief line on its success.
• There is no fee to make a nomination.
• All nominations should be made through Submittable.

JUDGING All nominations will be reviewed virtually through Submittable by a panel of industry professionals. PAVE may contact the senior management for all finalists for employment verification and any additional input as needed.  

PRESENTATION OF AWARDS All finalists will be recognized this December during the PAVE Gala in New York City, where the winner will be announced. Finalists will receive a travel stipend, up to $1,000, to attend the Gala.

NOMINATION DEADLINE Monday, October 26, 2026, before 11:59 PM Eastern/8:59 PM Pacific HAVE QUESTIONS? Please contact us at info@paveglobal.org.

PAVE Rising Star is proudly sponsored by:  

 

PAVE International Student of the Season

Emerging Designer Stewardship Award

The PAVE International Student of the Season - Emerging Designer Stewardship Award recognizes students not just for design merit, but for other qualities like helping peers, volunteering, leading student organizations, and going above and beyond in non-design ways. This program provides a quarterly opportunity to celebrate exceptional students who contribute positively to their educational communities. Each quarter, the PAVE Board will select one student to receive a $1,500 grant and recognition as that quarter's PAVE Student of the Season!

THE AWARD

All submissions will be reviewed by the PAVE Board of Directors. One student will be selected quarterly to receive the following:​

• A $1,500 USD award to support their educational endeavors
• Official recognition as the PAVE Student of the Season
• Digital recognition assets for their portfolio and professional profiles
• Acknowledgment on PAVE Global's website and social media channels​

SUBMISSION DETAILS & RESOURCES

ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES   Student nominees must:

• Be currently enrolled in a college-level program working toward a degree related to the design and creation of consumer environments (Interior Design, Architecture, Visual Merchandising, Industrial Design, Graphic Design, UX/UI Design, etc.​
• Be full-time students, enrolled in at least 12 credit hours or equivalent based on their program's requirements.​

Student nominees will remain eligible for the remainder of the calendar year in which they are nominated (or until graduation, whichever comes first). Students nominated in the final quarter of the year will need to be renominated for consideration in the following year.

NOMINATION PROCESS

Nominations must be submitted by educators through our streamlined nomination form. Self-nominations are not accepted for this award.

NOMINATION REQUIREMENTS

   Educators should include:

• Student's name, email, and program of study/major
• Student's expected graduation date (i.e. Fall 2026, Spring 2027)
• Brief description (approximately 300 words) highlighting how the student exemplifies excellence beyond design skills
• Examples of how the student has demonstrated leadership, mentorship, volunteerism, or other community contributions

SELECTION CRITERIA

   Students will be evaluated based on their:

• Leadership qualities and initiatives within their educational community
• Volunteer work and community engagement
• Support and mentorship provided to fellow students
• Academic excellence and design capabilities
• Potential for future impact in the consumer environment industry

SUBMISSION TIMELINE

To launch the program, nominations will be open through the end of Fall:

• Now - November 30
• First Student of the Season announced mid-December

Quarterly cycles will follow after the initial award.

• Winter - Q1 Nominations: December 1 - February 28; Winner announced mid-March
• Spring - Q2 Nominations: March 1 - May 31; Winner announced mid-June
• Summer - Q3 Nominations: June 1 - August 31; Winner announced by mid-September
• Fall - Q4 Nominations: September 1 - November 30; Winner announced mid-December

JUDGING PROCESS  All nominations will be reviewed by a panel of PAVE Board members. The judging panel will select one recipient each quarter based on the selection criteria.

NOMINATION DEADLINE

November 30th, before 11:59 PM Eastern/8:59 PM Pacific.

HAVE QUESTIONS?   Please contact PAVE at info@paveglobal.org with any questions about the Student of the Season Award program.