Allison Bulgart is an undergraduate student majoring in interior design from Mundelein, Illinois. Allison has shown tremendous leadership as a co-President of the interior design student organization, Design Circle. Last year, Allison spearheaded a new direction for the organization, increasing its events and activities and successfully encouraging broader membership. Under her leadership, Design Circle sponsored several well-attended activities including hosting numerous local design practitioners for a networking evening that was successful by the standards of all participants. Allison has sought ways for Design Circle to benefit the department as well as its student members by trying to respond to and support the larger goals with student-driven initiatives.  She is one of the top performers from an academic perspective and she spent the second half of last spring studying in Rome with Knowlton’s interdisciplinary study abroad experience. She is a great representative of the department and has garnered many achievements. Allison is a recipient of the Trustees scholarship; she is a national buckeye scholar, and an architecture scholar. She also received the arts and humanities undergraduate research small grant and the Aida Cannarsa Snow endowment fund for significant undergraduate achievement and research in the arts and humanities program. 

After graduation, Allison hopes to continue her working relationship with BHDP and move into a full time interior design position. She wants to continue to develop her project management skills through the design practice and collaborate with local communities to improve their daily life through design. Allison aspires to attend graduate school in two to three years for design management or design research to better her understanding of these emerging professions.

Speaking about being rocognized by the Board of Trustees Allison stated, "I was honored and shocked when I received the email from Dr. Lobrec informing me of the award and the board meeting at which I would be recognized. The experiences I've had within the Design Department and the opportunities to collaborate with others outside the school have truly shaped my education and my goals as I move forward in my profession. Without the assistance of the well-informed and creative instructors within the Design Department I would not have been as inspired and involved in​ the department and the growth of the field. I just want to thank everyone who has helped and worked with me along the way and those in the future that I have the opportunity to collaborate with."

The Department of Design wishes to also congratulate Allison, and extend our appreciation for her work and leadership.