March 13, 2017 (Boston, MA) - The Boston Architectural College (BAC) is proud to announce that Shivani Shah, a second year Bachelor of Architecture student, was awarded a travel scholarship through Designers Lighting Forum of New England (DLF-NE) to attend LIGHTFAIR International in Philadelphia in May.

Each year, the DLF-NE hosts a competition for area students, asking them to answer a single question through design. Shivani first heard about this year’s competition, which asked, “How can light bring meaning to space?,” through the BAC’s Office of Student Life. After hearing a DLF-NE representative speak to BAC students, Shah was inspired to enter the competition.

Shivani shared her 20 slide presentation, showing how a particular light fits a particular activity, and how lighting is integral to the future of design, to a jury made up of the BAC’s deans and a DLF-NE representative. Going into the presentation, Shivani was nervous competing against other students, some of whom are in the College’s graduate programs. But Shivani was one of four BAC students selected to compete in the DLF-NE Travel Scholarship Student Competition.

After presenting at the DLF-NE competition on March 1, Shah was selected by the DLF-NE’s panel of accomplished lighting professionals, along with two students from nearby colleges, to receive a scholarship to cover travel and expenses to LIGHTFAIR International, the world’s largest annual architectural and commercial lighting tradeshow and conference.

"Winning the scholarship feels like a landmark in my journey and the BAC has been extremely supportive and appreciative about my efforts which encouraged me to participate in the first place. This gives me immense happiness to win and make the BAC proud," Shivani said. She is also excited for the opportunity to travel to Philadelphia and meet and network with lighting, design, and architecture professionals from around the world.

Shivani, originally from India, studied architecture for two years in India before deciding she wanted to study in the US. After carefully researching architecture programs, Shivani decided on the BAC, saying that she loves the BAC’s model of working in the field while you earn your degree. Shivani’s current interest is public spaces and landscape architecture, but she remains focused on her studies, learning as much as she can about architecture and design, while gaining experience through her work study with the BAC’s GATEWAY project.

About Designers Lighting Forum of New England Travel Scholarship Student Competition

The Designers Lighting Forum of New England is dedicated to promoting lighting education and honored to assist area schools in providing traveling scholarships to students that demonstrate a passion for and understanding of lighting.

For more information, contact communications@the-bac.edu.