March 2026

And the winners are…. SVA Alumni Scholarship 2026 Awards – the impact of PLAY.

Congratulations to MFA DSI-ers:

Ae Duk Lee and Iris Pan (MFA DSI ’26), STEM Where Kids Are

Xiaolan Fu, Hao Jie Sim, and Kelsey Zhang (MFA DSI ’26), Aging in Play 

Ae Duk Lee and Iris Pan received the 2026 SVA Alumni Scholarship Award for their thesis project, STEM Where Kids Are, which examines how New York City can expand high-quality, age-appropriate, and affordable STEM opportunities for K–5 children. The intervention is a community-based “Moving STEM Library” pop-up that brings mobile, low-cost, hands-on science and technology workshops and play directly to children and families where they are.

The award-winning project, Aging in Play (AIP), by Xiaolan Fu, Hao Jie Sim, and Kelsey Zhang, explores how play can become a shared community practice that supports health, connection, and agency for older adults. In New York City, activities for older adults are often limited, infrequent, and undervalued. In partnership with the Open Door Older Adult Center, Aging In Play offers an accessible, do-it-yourself kit to enable shared experiences that help play take root in community life.

Congrats, Ae Duk, Iris, Xiaolan, Hao Jie, and Kelsey, for reimagining the value and lasting impact of PLAY.