Mercury Wood Products continues generous award for Interior Design students

Mercury Wood (external link, opens in new window) , a leading innovator in panels for commercial and residential design,  continues their generous award for Interior Design (opens in new window)  students at The Creative School (opens in new window) . Mercury Wood specializes in European imports and has been frequently working with School of Interior Design alum across the Greater Toronto Area. 

Thoughtfully giving back to the industry

The Mercury Wood Products Scholarship in Interior Design was established in 2019 by Mercury Wood founder Rocco A. Panza, with three recipients honoured to this date. The scholarship is intended for full-time undergraduate, fourth year or graduating students. Mercury Wood has chosen The Creative School, in particular, to give back to the alma mater of the interior designers they have been working with for the past 20 years. 

Marketing Manager Kevin Humphries mentions that the idea of creating a scholarship was an idea that the company has been considering for a couple of years. 

“Establishing a scholarship at an academic institution was a new venture for us,” says Humphries. “A lot of the interior designers with whom we work with are graduates of Interior Design at The Creative School. Naturally, we thought that was an excellent place to start this initiative.” 

In addition, Mercury Wood hopes this scholarship will encourage students to familiarize themselves with the industry and the local scene before graduation. 

"I would like to thank Mr. Panza and Mercury Wood for their investment in the next generation of interior designers,” says Tyler Small, Director of Development at The Creative School. “This generous gift ensures that our brilliant students are able to focus on completing their studies, and empowers them as they launch their careers and create the future of interior design." 

Recognizing opportunities across the Greater Toronto Area 

Being part of the local interior design and architecture industry for the past 20 years, Mercury Wood is excited for students to join the community whether through existing studios or by starting up their own firms to come up with innovative design solutions to real-world problems. 

Located in the heart of Toronto, interior design students are surrounded by design studios and businesses within the industry that enables them to network through internships, design competitions and exhibitions. 

“The Greater Toronto Area is a great place to practice a business in design, because there's such a huge variety of projects throughout the city, not only large residential developments but also, a lot of commercial work,” said Humphries. “This is the place to start your own business, and it's a good place for suppliers like us. There's lots of room in the marketplace here.” 

Award recipients starting their own businesses 

Mercury Wood celebrated the award winners, Asma Fazal, Nora Alkeyat, and Anna Li. Nora Alkeyat, 2020-2021 Mercury Wood award recipient, says she is grateful for the support of Mercury Wood. 

“It is an incredible honour to be the recipient of ​The Mercury Wood Products Scholarship in Interior Design,” says Alkeyat. “It is donors such as Mercury Wood that not only utilize their incredible expertise and specialization within their immediate design industry but go outside their immediate network by going above and beyond to support students like myself who strive to make the same impact within the design community.”

Now an Interior Design alumna working in the industry with a multidisciplinary portfolio, Alkeyat spoke about the impact such awards can have on graduating students and how it empowers them to push boundaries. 

“I believe this fourth-year scholarship sets a precedent in the design industry to support and empower emerging designers as we are the next generation of the industry striving towards designing sustainable, inclusive, healthy and meaningful environments,” she said. “Now fresh out of university, I can proudly say I’ve worked full-time as a Junior Interior Designer for a year and am working towards building my own Design Practice.”

Establishing awards like The Mercury Wood Products Scholarship opens up doorways to emerging designers not just by supporting their academic journey but also by inviting them to become part of the industry in which they will establish themselves. 

If you’d like to discuss giving opportunities at The Creative School, please contact Tyler Small, Director of Development, at tyler.small@ryesron.ca. 

The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University

The Creative School is a dynamic faculty that is making a difference in new, unexplored ways. Made up of Canada’s top professional schools and transdisciplinary hubs in media, communication, design and cultural industries, The Creative School offers students an unparalleled global experience in the heart of downtown Toronto.