Skip to main content

Interior Design Student Graysen Miller Receives Cooper Lighting Award


A Mississippi College interior design student is the winner of a Cooper Lighting award in national competition for the third year in a row.

Selected to receive an honorable mention award in April is Graysen Miller, a 21-year-old junior from Columbia, Mississippi. On track to graduate from the Christian university in December 2013, she’s making plans to work in the design field.

“Receiving this award is so exciting,” Miller said Friday. The fact that MC’s interior design program is being recognized with another award in national competition shows it’s “a strong program with remarkable instructors,” added the Columbia High School graduate.

Miller and an MC interior design instructor will attend the Source Awards Ceremony and International Light Fair in Philadelphia, Pa. April 20-23 to receive the honor. Graysen will receive a trophy and $500 at the awards show.

This summer, the bright MC student (she maintains a 3.78 overall GPA) plans to intern at an architecture or design firm. At Mississippi College, Miller has worked as a graphic design assistant for the “Arrowhead,” MC’s award-winning student magazine featuring the arts and literature. She’s served as a resident assistant in the Office of Residence Life on the Clinton campus.

Based in Peachtree City, Georgia, Cooper Lighting seeks to be the leading provider of innovative high-quality fixtures and related products. The company serves worldwide, commercial, industrial, residential and utility markets.

The annual Cooper Lighting competition attracts hundreds of stellar undergraduate and graduate students from around the USA. Last year, MC interior design student Kristen Millican of Olive Branch received the company’s award of recognition. The same honor went to MC interior design student Austin Gauley of Owensboro, Kentucky in 2011.

Mandy Pickett Berdami, the university’s interior design program coordinator, is delighted to hear the splendid news about Graysen Miller. “We are absolutely thrilled to win three times in a row and feel this is excellent recognition for the Interior Design Program at Mississippi College.” Vice President for Academic Affairs Ron Howard extended his congratulations to Miller and her professors in the Department of Art’s Graphic Design Program. “What a wonderful achievement,’’ Howard said. “Kudos to her fine teachers as well.”