Kayla Karpp, CIDQ’s Governance, Engagement, and Meetings Manager, often presents an overview of the NCIDQ Exam and discusses the importance of professional certification with many colleges and universities. While instructors frequently encourage students to take the NCIDQ Exam and share their own experiences with it, Abigail Melanson, an Assistant Professor of Interior Architecture at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA, has taken it a step further. Professor Melanson offered her class the opportunity to take the IDFX section of the NCIDQ Exam instead of their final exam. She stipulated that if students provide proof of their application and that they are scheduled to take the exam, they will receive an “automatic A” on their final. Professor Melanson believes that “encouraging students to take the first part of the exam while still in school gives them a competitive advantage by the time they graduate. Regardless of whether they pass on their first attempt, they can demonstrate to employers that they are actively pursuing a higher level of education, certification, and professionalism. Additionally, taking the exam while their collegiate study techniques are still fresh in their minds offers them added benefits.”

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CIDQ commends this innovative approach to demystifying the exam for students as they transition into emerging professionals.