CHICAGO, IL (April 2, 2007) – Harrington College of Design student Ranee Strawn, 58, of Crystal Lake, Illinois, received the first place $500 scholarship award in the kitchen category from the Chicago Midwest Chapter of the National Kitchen and Bath Association’s Annual Student Scholarship Competition.

Strawn, a career changer, is earning an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Interior Design at Harrington College of Design.

“I was surprised and honored by this acknowledgement,” says Strawn. “The award certainly gives me confidence that I am headed in the right direction with my design specialty.”

The panel of judges for the competition were Rick Banter, CKD, of Bi Dizin; Gary Lichlyter, of Lemont Kitchens; and Trish Walters, CKD, of Kitchen Village.

"According to the judges, Ranee's project stood out amongst all the rest because of its wonderfully rendered perspective. It told the entire story of what she was trying to accomplish in this design project", said Chris Birkentall, CKD, VP Endorsed Programs, Chicago Midwest Chapter NKBA.

Open only to NKBA student members, this annual competition challenges aspiring designers to create functional, efficient and attractive spaces that meet the requirements presented. Competition entries were received from five local colleges: William Rainey Harper College, Palatine; Harrington College of Design, Chicago; Triton College, River Grove; College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn and Olivet Nazarene, Bourbonnais.

About Harrington College of Design

Harrington College of Design is a four-year college that offers flexible scheduling for a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Interior Design, an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Interior Design or Digital Photography and a new Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Communication Design. Harrington is committed to creating the next generation of design professionals to lead and serve the global community.

Harrington has been a member of Chicago’s design and higher education communities since 1931. Located at 200 W. Madison St., Harrington seeks to foster an environment that maximizes students’ intellectual and artistic potential. The majority of the faculty is practicing interior designers, architects, photographers and fine art professionals.

Harrington is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), and is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Harrington is recognized as a private college by the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE), and is authorized by the IBHE to confer baccalaureate and associate degrees. The Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Interior Design is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation, formerly known as the Foundation for Interior Design Education and Research (FIDER).