Baker College receives national recognition for interior design

Baker College of Auburn Hills interior design program has received the Excellence in Education Award from the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) in recognition of the college’s adherence to the highest standards of kitchen and bath design instruction.

Only 17 schools in the nation received the award; Baker College of Auburn Hills is the only recipient located in Michigan. This is the third time the Auburn Hills campus has earned this recognition.

The award is based on two student-designed kitchen projects required in the application for NKBA program accreditation. The designs of Mary Prough, of Shelby Township, and Rachel Thibodeau, of North Branch, each scored over 90 out of a possible 100, which secured the award for the Auburn Hills campus interior design program.

NKBA accreditations are typically valid for one year. Due to the consistently superior scores of student designs submitted by Baker College, its accreditation was extended for five years.

“This is an incredible accomplishment for Mary and Rachel that reflects positively on the program as a whole,” said Ann Jacob, Baker College of Auburn Hills director of interior design. “NKBA student projects are extremely challenging and involve a unique set of requirements. The designs include a floor plan, elevation, construction plan and mechanical plan in compliance with NKBA guidelines and graphic and presentation standards.

“Successful designs include a great deal of research and may require students to request clarification from NKBA. Ensuring that they’ve satisfied all design requirements is the most strenuous, laborious part of the project for the students and faculty.”

NKBA-certified kitchen and bath designers scored the design projects.

For more information about the associate and bachelor’s interior design programs at Baker College of Auburn Hills, contact Nicole Chirco in the admissions office at nicole.chirco@baker.edu or 248.340.0600.

The largest private college in Michigan, Baker College is a not-for-profit higher education institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It serves more than 28,000 students on multiple campuses and online. Baker grants certificates and associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in more than 150 programs across diverse academic fields, including business, health sciences, engineering, information technology, education and human services. An impressive 97 percent of available graduates are employed. Every Baker graduate receives Lifetime Employment Assistance—free and forever. Baker is a pioneer in online education and offers students the option of completing a degree 100 percent online, without ever visiting a campus. For information, visit www.baker.edu or follow Baker College on Twitter, @bakercollege, or on Facebook, www.facebook.com/bakercollege.