Enrollment for the Be Original Americas 2021 Virtual Student Fellowship Now Open

This year, Be Original Americas will once again offer a virtual fellowship, following the success of last year’s program, enabling students around the globe to learn from and connect with experts at 22 top design firms. The fellowship, which is now open for enrollment, centers around a series of live and interactive webinars from June 2–25. Each session will focus on different aspects of design and architecture, from factory production to insights into the creative process, furthering the mission of Be Original Americas, a nonprofit that spotlights the value of original craftsmanship. 

Going beyond design, the program also will explore concerns around diversity, sustainability, and the future guided by industry leaders from firms such as Gensler, Rottet Studio, and Herman Miller, to name a few. The first webinar kicks off June 2 led by Gabriele Chiave, creative director at Marcel Wanders Studio, who will speak to the importance of collaboration and humanism in design, touching on the value of establishing lasting relationships. 

And if last year’s fellowship is any indication of what to expect in coming months, students will have plenty of opportunities to expand their networks given that more than 3,400 of them from 30+ countries joined in 2020. “Every morning I wake up and look at the updated number of registrants and it keeps growing,” said Beth Dickstein of BDE during the early weeks of the 2020 fellowship, who—along with David Rosenkvist, chief commercial and creative officer at Louis Poulsen—cofounded Be Original Americas.

The 2021 Virtual Student Fellowship opportunity is available to currently enrolled university students worldwide. Those who register and attend five or more sessions also will have the opportunity to win a portfolio or resume review session with one of the presenting companies. To register and receive updates, go here.