NDSU faculty member named top interior design professor of the year

Susan Ray-Degges, NDSU professor and program coordinator of interior design, has been named the 2025 Top Professor of the Year in Interior Design by the International Association of Top Professionals.

The prestigious honor recognizes Ray-Degges’ decades-long contributions to interior design education, her scholarly research and leadership in the field. The International Association of Top Professionals selects honorees based on their career accomplishments, leadership abilities, and commitment to excellence.

“I am incredibly honored and humbled to be selected by the International Association of Top Professionals for this award,” Ray-Degges said. “Recognition like this reflects the support of many. I’m grateful to my amazing students, colleagues and the interior design community for making this journey meaningful.”

NDSU students learn from top educators in their field. As interior design program coordinator, Ray-Degges helps shape a curriculum that emphasizes hands-on learning, professional standards and strong industry engagement.

Interior design students have the opportunity to bring classroom concepts to life during the annual Scheels Design Challenge at Fargo’s Scheels Home and Hardware. With guidance from NDSU faculty and Scheels interior designers, student teams have 3.5 hours to create themed room displays using real merchandise and design principles. Judged by local interior designers and the public, the event offers valuable real-world experience and public exposure.

Ray-Degges joined the NDSU faculty in 1992 and has coordinated the interior design program since 1993. She teaches a variety of courses, including environment and behavior, design theory and interior design history. Her research focuses on topics such as aging in place, programming and historic preservation, with particular attention to supporting older adults through universal and inclusive design.

Ray-Degges’ professional accolades include the NDSU HDE Exceptional Contributions to Faculty and Student Mentoring (2023), National Award from Design Intelligence as Interior Design most Admired Educator (2019), and Fellow status in both the American Society of Interior Designers and in the Interior Design Educators Council. She is certified by the Board of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture and Interior Design and the National Council for Interior Design Qualification, and is a licensed interior designer in Minnesota.

Her work has been widely published and presented at national and international conferences. She is also a frequent contributor to professional organizations through her service to support accreditation and as a reviewer for academic journals and conferences. In addition, she has held appointments to several university committees.

Ray-Degges holds a Ph.D. in human environmental sciences with a specialization in environmental design and gerontology, as well as a Master of Science in housing and interior design from the University of Missouri. Her academic foundation began at Missouri State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in home economics with a concentration in housing and interior design and a minor in art.

She will be formally honored at the IAOTP’s annual awards gala on December 13 in Las Vegas.