Christine A. Fink, a floral design instructor at Pennsylvania College of Technology's School of Natural Resources Management, has successfully completed the American Institute of Floral Designers' rigorous Accreditation Evaluation Program and is eligible to be accepted as an accredited member of AIFD in ceremonies to take place in New York City in July 2004.
AIFD candidates must demonstrate their design abilities by producing five designs sympathy, wedding, flowers-to-wear, arrangement (centerpiece, hospital, etc.) and designer's choice in just four hours during an accreditation evaluation session.
The candidates have no knowledge beforehand of the specific designs to be created or the materials that are available for their use.
Each design is evaluated by seven independent accredited members of the AIFD Membership Committee who appraise them on 10 criteria: category interpretation, scale (proportion), balance (physical and visual), line (movement and rhythm), color (balance, harmony and rhythm), creativity, unity (harmony and texture), focal emphasis, depth, and mechanics (professional application).
Established in 1965, the AIFD is a nonprofit organization committed to establishing and maintaining higher standards in professional floral design. The organization has nearly 1,400 members worldwide.
For more information about the Floral Design/Interior Plantscape major at Penn College, call (570) 320-8038, send e-mail or visit on the Web.