HIGH POINT, N.C., May 3, 2016 – Two High Point University students were selected for the Celia Moh Scholarship for the upcoming academic year. Twin sisters Kelly and Lindsay Molinario, both juniors from Clifton Heights, Pennsylvania and majoring in interior design, were among five students nationwide selected for the scholarships.
Established by furniture industry entrepreneur Laurence Moh in honor of his wife, Celia, the scholarship covers tuition, room, board, books and fees for students whose academic endeavors would logically lead to careers in the home furnishings industry.
The Molinarios were selected based on their academic achievement at HPU and passion for interior design. Both of them are members of the National Society for Leadership and Success at HPU and tutor classes in their major. Both sisters are also studying sustainable furniture design and were selected in part because of their talent and passion for custom furniture design.
While they share creative abilities and an interest in the same industry, they each have their own distinct styles and career plans. Lindsay wants to work in textile design or restaurant design and became interested in the field after taking an interior architecture class in high school. Kelly would like to design small spaces, specifically tiny homes, tree houses and temporary retreats. She says she enjoys mixing materials, patterns and colors in unexpected ways.
“Studying the same major at the same school as my sister is a unique experience,” says Kelly. “We help each other make the best of our ideas and designs, and we can always trust that the other will be honest and give constructive criticism that will improve the design. I love sharing my passion with my sister, and I love that we can push each other to do more than our best.”
“HPU has helped with my goals because students are able to build personal relationships with the professors, who have had a lot of experience in the industry,” Lindsay says. “This allows the program to pair the best professor with each course to provide students with a range of areas of study, from patterns to space planning to construction systems and others that provide a great deal of variety.”
A scholarship committee of notable home furnishings industry executives selected the Molinarios and other recipients who join two returning students selected as Celia Moh scholars last year. Ninety-two full scholarships have been awarded in the program’s 15-year existence.