* Wendy Ornelas, associate dean of the College of Architecture, Planning and Design, has been elected a director of the National Architectural Accrediting Board for a term ending in 2010. The board accredits all professional architecture programs in the United States. August 2008
* Lee Skabelund, assistant professor of landscape architecture, won two awards from regional chapters of the American Society of Landscape Architecture for his work on a rain garden at the International Student Center. The Prairie Gateway Chapter of the society presented Skabelund with a 2008 award of excellence for his work on the project. The society's Central States Conference also recognized Skabelund with a 2008 award of merit in the built-design category. The rain garden was completed in 2007. April 2008
* A nationwide survey rates academic programs offered in K-State's College of Architecture, Planning and Design as among the tops in the nation, as well as the interior design program offered through K-State's College of Human Ecology. According to the 2008 survey of leading design firms across the nation, conducted by the journal DesignIntelligence and the Design Futures Council in conjunction with the Almanac of Architecture and Design, K-State ranks first among bachelor of landscape architecture programs; fourth among master of interior architecture/design programs; sixth among master of landscape architecture programs; eighth among bachelor of architecture programs; eighth among bachelor of interior architecture/design programs; and13th among master of architecture programs. K-State offers programs in both interior architecture and product design, through the College of Architecture, Planning and Design, and in interior design through the College of Human Ecology; for survey purposes, the programs are combined. The annual survey is conducted to determine the top 15 colleges and universities for architecture and design in the U.S. A cross-section of firms with a disbursed geographic profile -- including firms that are leaders in their market sector and that have won major national, state, local and market-sector awards -- were surveyed. January 2008