Project CANDLE Builds Industry Support for the Next Generation of Lighting Designers
As the lighting industry continues to face talent shortages and increasing technical complexity, one initiative at Penn State University is working to strengthen the pipeline of future lighting professionals.
Project CANDLE — which stands for Create an Alliance to Nurture Design in Lighting Education — brings together educators and industry professionals to support lighting education, research, and professional development. The program is a partnership between Penn State’s Architectural Engineering Department and lighting professionals who share a common goal: ensuring that future generations of designers enter the profession with both technical knowledge and real-world experience.
At its core, Project CANDLE focuses on four objectives:
- Connecting students and industry professionals
- Developing a world-class lighting curriculum
- Advancing lighting research
- Expanding and strengthening the lighting design profession
The initiative has become an important bridge between academia and practice, creating opportunities for students to interact directly with professionals long before graduation.
More Than Financial Support
While Project CANDLE raises funds to support Penn State’s lighting program, organizers emphasize that industry engagement is just as valuable as financial contributions.
Partner support helps fund student travel to industry conferences, classroom equipment purchases, laboratory initiatives, graduate student research, and activities organized by the student IES chapter.
Equally important, however, are the relationships that develop between students and industry leaders.
Throughout the year, participating professionals contribute guest lectures, portfolio reviews, career mentoring, résumé critiques, design reviews, and educational programming. Many also host student visits and participate in networking events that expose students to a broad range of career opportunities.
The result is a learning environment that extends well beyond the classroom.
Roundtable Brings Industry and Students Together
One of Project CANDLE’s signature events is its annual Roundtable, scheduled this year for September 27-28, immediately before Penn State’s Architectural Engineering Career Fair.
The event provides a unique opportunity for lighting manufacturers, designers, consultants, and other industry leaders to engage directly with students in a less formal setting than a traditional recruiting event.
Rather than focusing solely on hiring, the Roundtable encourages conversations about professional development, industry trends, research priorities, and the future of lighting design.
That approach aligns with one of Project CANDLE’s central beliefs: students are more likely to pursue successful careers in lighting when they build meaningful relationships with professionals early in their academic journey.
Helping Shape Tomorrow’s Curriculum
Project CANDLE also provides industry partners with an opportunity to influence the education of future lighting professionals.
Through education and research committees, participants can offer feedback on curriculum development, identify emerging skill requirements, and help ensure students graduate with knowledge that reflects current industry needs.
As technology continues to evolve, maintaining that connection between academia and practice becomes increasingly important.
Lighting designers today must understand not only aesthetics and visual perception, but also controls, sustainability, health and wellness, data integration, and rapidly changing digital technologies.
Project CANDLE gives industry professionals a direct voice in preparing students for those challenges.
Investing in the Profession
Many lighting professionals speak about the importance of attracting new talent to the industry. Project CANDLE offers a practical way to do exactly that.
By connecting students with mentors, supporting educational resources, advancing research, and fostering professional relationships, the initiative helps strengthen the foundation of the lighting design profession.
For Penn State students, the program provides access to knowledge, experiences, and connections that can shape entire careers.
For industry participants, it offers an opportunity to help guide the next generation of lighting professionals while ensuring the profession continues to evolve and thrive.
In an industry built on collaboration, Project CANDLE demonstrates what can happen when educators and practitioners work together toward a common goal: creating the future leaders of lighting design.