Exhibitus, an experiential marketing agency headquartered in Atlanta, has named Raneem Awad, an architectural student at Cal Poly Pomona, as the recipient of the inaugural Exhibitus Design Scholarship for 2023. She was selected from a group of nearly 200 applicants and will receive $1,000 towards her education.

“The tremendous response to our inaugural Design Scholarship program attests to the talent and dedication of students pursuing careers that rely on the principles of design,” said Matt Beck, Creative Director for Exhibitus, which provides exhibit design and fabrication, innovative engagements and event measurement programs to clients, including Acuity, Georgia Pacific, Jet Aviation, Lexus, Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions and Unifi — to name a few.

Awad moved to the U.S. with her family from Syria when she was 19 years old and recently became a U.S. citizen. In addition to working to help support her family, she returned to the study of architecture she had begun in Syria and is enrolled at Cal Poly Pomona. 

She is participating in a study abroad exchange program at Biberach University of Applied Sciences in Germany. Her academic achievements include the President’s Honor List and Dean’s List. She credits the resilience she gained as an immigrant — as well insights from experiential learning — for her current success.

“Even with the many great designs and personal essays we reviewed, Raneem’s work and the story of her journey that led to the study of architecture stood out,” Beck said. “We are proud to support her awe-inspiring efforts and look forward to celebrating her future accomplishments.”

Back Story

Since the pandemic, Exhibitus has taken an active leadership role in advocating for the industry, both from an exhibit and event provider, as well as the marketer’s perspective. 

“One of the challenges the industry faces is the talent pipeline,” Beck said. “Exhibitus is active with the EDPA Future Workforce Committees, and this initiative is one way to inform students about the industry and the opportunities it offers.”

He continued, “Exhibitus has a charitable-giving arm, BeyondUs, which supports causes of interest to our employees. The scholarship program falls under this initiative. Our employees love the industry and want to see it continue to thrive with fresh talent in the future.”

The award criteria includes: 

• Design talent and ability 
• Story of the applicant’s personal journey and financial need, and their ambition for future use of design skills in their professional life  
• Proven academic achievement in their general courses as well as design-focused courses.

“As the industry continues to evolve, it is critical to support the next generation of talented creatives,” Beck said. “To that end, Exhibitus will again offer a Design Scholarship for $1,000 in 2024.” 

What’s Next

Entries will be accepted Aug. 1, 2023-May 1, 2024. The 2024 award winner will be announced in July 2024. For more information, apply here starting Aug. 1. 

“A majority of the entries were received in the spring when students were thinking about their financial responsibilities for the fall 2023 semester,” Beck said.

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