Brielle Bentley Leads Successful Planning of AUID Conference at Princeton

Brielle Bentley, Senior Interior Project Manager in Capital Projects, spearheaded the planning of the Association of University Interior Designers (AUID) conference held jointly at Princeton and Rutgers in October 2024. Bentley, who has been a member of AUID since 2017, used her extensive design experience and professional relationships at the University to ensure the event's success. 

The planning process began in January 2024, following the previous year's conference in North Carolina. Bentley collaborated closely with Rutgers and the AUID planning committee to blend the programming to feature both a public and private University setting.  

One of the key highlights of the conference was the opening keynote by Kay Sargent from global design and architectural firm HOK. She spoke on the conference theme of "Designing for Inclusion."  

“It was very inspirational,” said Bentley. “It got a lot of people thinking, on day one, ‘how can I incorporate this in my projects and bring this to my campus?’” 

The conference brought together 66 participants from universities across the United States. Bentley tapped team members from Capital Projects and other University units to lead tours of Princeton's historic and modern facilities, showcasing the university's blend of old and new architectural styles. Attendees were particularly impressed by the gothic architecture and the integration of modern design elements. 

“Many of the attendees had never been to an Ivy League University,” said Bentley. “It was nice to watch the group take in the history along with taking many photos of the gargoyles around campus, the cloisters at Holder Hall, and the tigers at Nassau Hall.”  

The conference also featured sessions on trauma-informed design and creating a sense of belonging in student environments, highly relevant topics in today's educational landscape. These sessions, along with the interactive coffee talks, facilitated rich conversations and idea exchanges among participants. 

“Everyone involved at Princeton takes pride in their work and was happy to share their knowledge and terrific work they have done,” said Bentley. “I am so grateful everybody was supportive and excited to showcase Princeton.”