## Breadcrumb 1. [Home](/index%2Ephp/) 2. [News and Stories](/index%2Ephp/news) 3. [Nancy Jain Sustainability Awards to support future design leaders](/index%2Ephp/markdownify/node/3203) March 18, 2025 # Nancy Jain Sustainability Awards to support future design leaders ![Artist's rendering of people walking along a tree-lined street outside a modern building.](/sites/default/files/styles/1_5_1_large/public/2025-03/SustainaSphere%2C%202024.%20Courtesy%20of%20Jun%20Chen..jpg.webp?itok=ph2n_qVn) Image: SustainaSphere, 2024. Courtesy of Jun Chen, Recent Graduate, Environmental Design. rgb(255,255,255) Nancy Jain, a dedicated advocate for the arts and sustainability, is making a lasting impact on the next generation of designers by establishing the Nancy Jain Sustainability Awards for Environmental Design and Industrial Design. These endowed awards will provide ongoing recognition and support to OCAD University’s Faculty of Design students whose work is inspired by environmental practices and integrates sustainable practices. Nancy joined OCAD U as an adjunct professor in 2019 and taught within the Faculty of Design until 2021. Passionate about the future of design, she believes in its power to drive meaningful change. “Sustainability in design isn’t just about minimizing harm—it casts a powerful arc of progress over society. Its greater role is what I call ‘purpose by design,’” says Nancy. “Design is at the core of innovation, and indispensable today as artificial intelligence (AI) and human intelligence collide.” Nancy’s commitment to sustainability is rooted in her international perspective and professional experiences. Her career has spanned multiple continents, blending business acumen with a passion for cultural engagement. In Canada, Nancy co-founded real estate development firm G&N Developments Inc. which specializes in retrofitting and repurposing buildings to create dynamic, innovative and sustainable spaces for local creative entrepreneurs. Nancy emphasizes that innovation drives rapid change in our society, compelling us to rethink how we create, produce and interact with our new world. “OCAD U students are well poised to take on this challenge and deliver the next generation of purpose-driven design excellence not only at home in Canada, but in the broader international community,” says Nancy. “Through these awards, I hope to support students who embrace sustainability as a fundamental part of their design practice and to inspire innovative solutions that elevate society and set the tone for future generations.” Each year, the Nancy Jain Sustainability Awards will honour two outstanding fourth-year students, one from OCAD U’s Environmental Design program and one from the Industrial Design program, who demonstrate a commitment to sustainability through their academic work. Recipients will be selected through a juried competition at the end of each academic year. Dr. Lesley-Ann Noel, Dean of the Faculty of Design, highlights the significance of Nancy’s support. “Nancy’s generosity ensures that sustainability remains at the forefront of design education at OCAD U and we are incredibly grateful for her support,” she shared. “These awards not only celebrate student achievement but also reinforce the importance of environmentally responsible design in shaping our collective future.” ![A headshot of Nancy Jain.](/sites/default/files/2025-03/Nancy%20Jain_0.jpeg) *Pictured above: Nancy Jain, supporting future designers through sustainability-focused awards* ## Other Recent News [### 2026-27 Call for Funding Proposals for Student Groups that Support Creative Entrepreneurship on Campus The RBC Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers (CEAD) invites OCAD University student groups with a mandate to support entrepreneurship on campus to apply for funding for student-led initiatives that strengthen and expand the creative entrepreneurship ecosystem at OCAD U. This funding is intended to help student groups create opportunities for entrepreneurship skills development, community building, and revenue-generating activities for students and recent alumni, while reducing barriers to participation for equity-seeking individuals. November 6, 2026 ](/news/2026-27-call-funding-proposals-student-groups-support-creative-entrepreneurship-campus) [### 2027 Critical Distance Centre for Curators Projections Program Call for Artists OCAD University’s RBC Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers (CEAD) and Critical Distance Centre for Curators (CDCC) have partnered to co-create CDCC Projections Program Career Launcher. Four (4) to five (5) selected emerging artists will receive $690 to exhibit work in a single channel, projection-based screening program that will be displayed at the CDCC in March 2027. October 30, 2026 ](/news/2027-critical-distance-centre-curators-projections-program-call-artists) [### Call for Vendors: BAM! Holiday Art Market 2026 OCAD University's RBC Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers (CEAD) is excited to partner again with Wychwood Barns to offer a curated group of OCAD U students and recent alumni the opportunity to share a vendor table at the BAM! Holiday Art Market. October 26, 2026 ](/news/call-vendors-bam-holiday-art-market-2026) Related Stories ## Related Stories [### A night of art, design and community at the OCAD U Gala More than 300 guests gathered for the second annual OCAD U Gala, raising $420,000 through an evening of art, design and community. Proceeds from the event will support student bursaries at OCAD University. June 4, 2026 ](/news/night-art-design-and-community-ocad-u-gala) [### Taking graduate work beyond the studio With support from the William and Nona Heaslip Foundation, OCAD U graduate students are expanding their practice through travel, experimentation and new creative work. May 5, 2026 ](/news/taking-graduate-work-beyond-studio) [### Rosalie Sharp honoured with inaugural Chancellor’s Lifetime Achievement Award The OCAD U award recognizes Rosalie Sharp’s extraordinary contributions to the advancement of art, design and culture in Toronto and across Canada. October 22, 2025 ](/news/rosalie-sharp-honoured-inaugural-chancellors-lifetime-achievement-award)