Masco Cabinetry and the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) have announced the winners of the “Blog Like a Pro” competition. The grand-prize winner, Marianna Bowker, a student at Virginia Tech, will receive a $1,500 scholarship and the opportunity to blog on one of Masco Cabinetry’s brand websites.
Lauren Koncerak, of the University of Georgia, and Kara Brennan, of Virginia Tech, received second- and third-place honors, as well as scholarships of $700 and $500, respectively. The winners were recognized during the annual Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, held April 24-26 in Chicago.
“We were incredibly impressed with the enthusiasm and quality of entries from students across the country,” said Susan Cross, brand and communications manager for Masco Cabinetry. “The purpose of the competition was to encourage design students to think and communicate like a professional designer, and Marianna displayed those skills well. We look forward to her contributions to one of our blogs.”
Through “Blog Like A Pro,” students were asked to create a total of three blog posts relating to design ideas and themes. Students were provided an image gallery full of products from KraftMaid, Merillat, QualityCabinets and DeNova Countertops and a variety of topics on which to base their blog entries. The entries were judged by a panel of professional kitchen and bath designers and social media experts jointly selected by Masco Cabinetry and the NKBA.
Bowker received high marks from the judges for her three posts that supported her overall theme of “Think the Impossible and Make It Happen.” Her posts included advice on making the most of small spaces, planning home remodels with long-term living in mind and unique storage solutions—all of which support prominent trends in the industry.
“It is becoming increasingly important for designers to express their design visions in an online setting,” said Sherylin Doyle, manager of academic relations for the NKBA. “We’re extremely proud to see the level of skill demonstrated by all the students who participated and know it will serve them well in the future.”
