ID Honors Design Visionary Patrick Whitney

The Institute of Design (ID) celebrated a milestone in design education on May 31, 2025, with the announcement of the Patrick Whitney Dean Endowed Chair, generously supported by Godrej Industries. The event honored Patrick Whitney‘s transformative 28-year tenure as dean and his profound impact on the field of design.

As more and more people registered for the event, ID adjusted time and location to accommodate. The celebration drew business leaders, ID alumni, and the larger design community, with Dean Anijo Mathew addressing a packed house and reminding everyone there of Patrick’s incredible influence. “Patrick’s been my mentor,” Anijo explained, “as he’s been for all of us.”

While the endowed chair recognizes Patrick Whitney’s pioneering work in human-centered design (today often referred to as design thinking), his visionary approach to making technological innovations more humane, and his groundbreaking integration of design with business strategy, it also celebrates the individual, human impact of this work. ID alumni, faculty colleagues, business leaders all took a moment to reflect on the individual impact that Patrick had on their lives and pursuits.

Renowned strategist Roger Martin, former dean of Rotman School of Management, noted that Patrick combines two rare qualities that make him exceptional in the field:

Roger elaborated on Patrick’s intellectual courage, describing how he consistently takes on difficult challenges and has transformed design education.

Taken together, the speakers’ remarks pointed to the powerful fusion at the heart of Patrick’s work: his ability to combine his focus on the human individual and scale it through the systems thinking that his own mentors and teachers had applied to design.

The result of this fusion—as evidenced by the enthusiastic attendees and a standing ovation for Patrick—is resounding impact on generations of designers and leaders worldwide.

Patrick himself reflected on design’s evolving role in society during his remarks, emphasizing the shift from prediction to demonstration in business and the need for companies to move beyond traditional metrics of success.

Godrej Industries’ support for this endowed chair reflects the international reach of Patrick’s work. Jamshyd Godrej, chairman of the Godrej Industries and an Illinois Tech alum, shared how Patrick’s ideas transformed his understanding of design’s role in business strategy—specifically how business strategy should be led by design.

The partnership between Illinois Tech and Godrej—a juggernaut Indian company that reaches approximately 200 million people—exemplifies the global nature and reach of design education today.

The celebration also featured a preview of an upcoming documentary about Patrick’s work, directed by Gary Hustwit, known for acclaimed design films including Helvetica and Objectified. The film, along with a companion book, aims to extend Patrick’s influence to new audiences and tackle global challenges through design.

Illinois Tech President Raj Echambadi emphasized the timing of this recognition, drawing parallels between the university’s founding mission and today’s challenges. He noted that just as the university was founded in 1890 to prevent an education divide during the first industrial revolution, today’s moment requires similar vigilance.

Rather than competing with technology through more technical education, Raj emphasized that universities must prioritize developing human-centered skills that enable students to become impactful citizens in the fourth industrial revolution.

Professor Emeritus Vijay Kumar, who worked alongside Patrick for decades, highlighted how his visionary leadership transformed not just ID, but the entire field of design education and practice.

Under Patrick’s leadership, ID became a powerhouse for design research and methodology, establishing new standards for human-centered design practices.

The Patrick Whitney Dean Endowed Chair ensures that Patrick’s approach to design education—combining rigorous methodology with human empathy—will continue to influence future generations.

The celebration concluded with a reception where alumni, faculty, and design leaders gathered to honor not just Patrick’s past achievements, but the future possibilities his legacy will continue to inspire.

Listen to Patrick Whitney’s remarks on the With Intent podcast.