BEREA, Ky. (LEX 18) — Berea College Student Craft is one of many programs that allows students to work while getting a tuition-free education. The program just recently won a national award for design.
Student Craft involves designing things like brooms, blankets, baskets, and more. Baella Morgan is a history major at Berea College, but she’s also an advanced broom student.
“I work on maintaining production flow by making some of the products like this broom,” she said. “I also get to do design.”
Morgan works on her craft and design in between classes.
“It's also been a way for me to indirectly study history because of the craft tradition in Appalachia,” Morgan explained. “I get to learn more about it.”
The creativity it took to craft various products are why Berea College won a Cooper Hewitt National Design Award in Product Design.
“It's a stamp of validation in a way for the design power, the creative ability, and the strength of the Berea College student,” said associate vice president of Student Craft Aaron Beale.
It’s the first time an educational institution has won an award in the Product Design category.
“The sort of official statement about the award is that it awards creativity and innovation in the field of design with a focus on forward thinking products,” said Beale.
Many students lack art and design education when they start at Berea College. This design award, recognizing student craft, shows just how the college cultivates a culture of creativity.
“They leave here knowing they have this ability, whether they go on to become an accountant or a chemist, a pharmacist, a nurse, an educator, they will know that they have proven creative power and artistic ability,” Beale said.
“I'm just very proud that our workflow and collaborative design has made it this far, and the result has been that design award,” said Morgan.
You can read more about the Cooper Hewitt National Design award here.
