Korellis Reuther Scholarship

Vision

In the U.S., women make up only 19% of practicing industrial designers and a mere 11% of design leadership. Dieter Reuther and Karen Korellis Reuther want to change this. They believe that 21st-century product design requires more women who lead with intuition and empathy. This scholarship is designed to empower the next generation of female design leaders to not only enter the field but to redefine it.

Opportunity

The Korellis Reuther Scholarship supports aspiring female industrial designers in their final year of undergraduate study. Beyond financial support, this program seeks to build professional bridges by connecting recipients with seasoned female design executives. We are looking for determined designers who prioritize a human-centric approach and possess the technical rigor to bring that vision to life.

Any female undergraduate student who will begin her senior year in Fall 2026 can apply for this scholarship opportunity if she is enrolled in an undergraduate Industrial Design (or Product Design) program in the U.S. Applicants should have a demonstrated commitment to the craft of product design, lifelong learning, and a desire to eventually give back through mentorship.

Application Task: From Imagination to Execution

We aren't just looking for technical proficiency; we want to see the heart and the thought process behind your work. 

Please submit:

• Portfolio of your work to date, maximum 10 pages in PDF format.
• 2–3 minute video addressing the following:
• Passion & Purpose: What sparked your journey into industrial design, and how do you intend to use your education to impact the world?
• Intuition: Describe a specific instance where your intuition or empathy led to a creative breakthrough. How did this human-centric vision shape the project?
• Rigor: How did you apply technical rigor or design principles to bridge the gap from your imaginative idea to a functional reality?