The Council of Fashion Designers America (CFDA) and the Liz Claiborne Fashion Scholarship Committee this month acknowledged CCA Fashion Design student Laura Schmits with an honorable mention distinction in the Liz Claiborne Fashion Scholarship's inaugural year.

Said CFDA Associate Executive Director Lisa Smilor, "This prestigious new design award program recognizes the very important contribution that designer Liz Claiborne made to the fashion industry, and it brings her innovative design aesthetic into the classrooms at the country's leading design colleges and universities."

The Liz Claiborne Fashion Scholarship committee—a prestigious panel of industry experts—reviewed each of the submitted 20 portfolios. Ultimately, the committee selected the Liz Claiborne Fashion Scholar, who will receive $25,000 toward her second semester senior year tuition and/or educational expenses, yet also recognized two students with honorable mentions.

Each of the 20 portfolios submitted this year has been photographed and temporarily posted at www.cfda.com (select Educational Initiatives and Professional Development/Liz Claiborne Scholarship Lookbooks). Visit Laura Schmits's portfolio on the CFDA website to see more of the artist's work.

The Liz Claiborne Fashion Scholarship is made possible by Art Ortenberg.