Brookdale Professor Celeste Chirichello Receives Inaugural ASID NJ Legacy Award

Brookdale Community College Professor Celeste Chirichello has been honored with the first-ever Legacy Award presented by the American Society of Interior Designers New Jersey Chapter (ASID NJ), recognizing her dedication to the interior design industry and lasting contributions to the design community.

Chirichello received the inaugural award during ASID NJ’s designXPO, held September 29 at Bell Works in Holmdel. The annual event brings together interior designers, industry professionals, vendors, and design students from across New Jersey for a day of education, professional development, networking, and industry connection.

“Your work is so impressive, and the award is very well deserved,” said Brookdale Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Katie Lynch. “You have transformed so many lives and made such a positive difference in the industry.”

For Chirichello, having Brookdale students at designXPO to witness the recognition made the honor especially meaningful.

“It was exciting, and I was glad the students were there,” Chirichello said. “It was a great event.”

The Legacy Award was presented in appreciation of Chirichello’s dedication to the industry and the design community. Throughout her career at Brookdale, she has helped prepare generations of aspiring interior designers for careers in the profession, connecting classroom learning with professional standards, industry relationships, and real-world experiences.

The recognition carries particular significance because of ASID’s prominent role within the profession. The American Society of Interior Designers is the design industry’s only association representing all sectors of design and has a community of more than 20,000 members. The organization works to advance the interior design profession and communicate the impact of design on the human experience.

ASID supports professionals throughout their careers through education, research, leadership development, advocacy, and networking. Its membership includes practicing designers, students, manufacturers, suppliers, and other industry professionals. Through the ASID Foundation, the organization also provides more than $100,000 annually for research and scholarship initiatives supporting the interior design profession.

This year’s designXPO featured an expanded exhibitor floor, continuing education sessions exploring neuroaesthetics and artificial intelligence in interior design, and a Presidents’ Luncheon honoring past and present ASID NJ presidents while welcoming the chapter’s incoming board.

For Brookdale students attending the event, the opportunity offered a firsthand look at the professional design community they are preparing to enter. It also gave them the chance to see one of their own professors recognized for helping shape that community.

As the inaugural recipient of the ASID NJ Legacy Award, Chirichello’s recognition reflects not only her professional accomplishments but also the influence of a career dedicated to educating, mentoring, and preparing the next generation of interior designers.