Dunn-Edwards Corporation announced the winner of its Emerging Professionals Design Competition today. The student design competition, eligible to emerging professionals of architecture and design, gives participants the opportunity to gain real-world experience and receive feedback from industry professionals. 

The grand prize winner is Ana Gonzales, an interior design student at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. The competition required entrants to design a hypothetical hotel chain and to integrate Dunn-Edwards 2024 Color of the Year, Skipping Stones (DET567), and biophilic design into their projects. With sustainability being a core value in the curriculum Ana studies, her design submission, which embodies a deep understanding of community needs and contemporary design principles, earned her the grand prize-winning spot in Dunn-Edwards competition. 

Gonzales is taking home industry-level experience and a $3,000 cash prize.  Earning the first runner-up prize of $800 was Lillian Skelton-Walker, student at Design Institute of San Diego.  

Danielle Kinahan, Marketing Segments Manager at Dunn-Edwards, returned as a judge for the competition, “I’m continually impressed by the level of creativity and thoughtfulness in these submissions. This year’s winner stood out not only for their impressive design skills but also for the ability to address real-world scenarios through their design.” The remainder of the judges for the 2024 Emerging Professionals Design Competition included Lauren Hoferkamp, head of color and design at Dunn-Edwards, and Karen Billman, interior designer and owner of Billman Designs. 

Since 2017, the Emerging Professionals Program (EPP), by Dunn-Edwards, has partnered with students to provide industry knowledge, trend-leading inspiration and color tools, and skills enhancement opportunities for the next generation of design professionals to leave their mark on the world. Architecture and design students are encouraged to tap into resources provided by Dunn-Edwards. 

For more information, visit www.dunnedwards.com.