The Daily Bulletin Archive

Constance Nowak, lecturer, Design, has been a set designer for the March of Dimes “Gourmet Gala” for the past 25 years. This year’s cooking station design in the theme of An American in Paris took first place for “Theme Design Excellence.” The event took place at the Adam’s Mark grand ballroom the weekend of March 15. The cooking station was an 8-foot-by-8-foot freestanding work area where celebrity chefs prepared items from the cocktail/dinner menu. Nowak’s chefs were Robin Wolfgang of Time Warner Cable and her husband, who dressed in period attire. The set included a replica of the Eiffel Tower, an impressionist-style painting, which Nowak created, and special lighting effects in the café setting. The film and soundtrack from An American in Paris played in the background, completing the ambience. The attention to detail has distinguished her sets as winning designs.

Nowak’s set designs have previously won awards for excellence in technical design and creative design. Nowak is working with colleagues from the Interior Design Department to have students design, plan, and construct one or more cooking station sets for next year’s event.