CDI Scholars Are... Making Our Lives More Beautiful
Citlaly at her college graduation.
Citlaly with her CDI Counselor and fellow CDI Alum, Wendy Ayala, at the 2025 Annual Benefit
Citlaly, CDI Class of 2018, was one of the many CDI Scholars whose college years were abruptly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. At the beginning of 2020 her father, the biggest advocate of her education, lost his job.
On top of that, her senior year interior design coursework required that she have her own laptop computer – a significant expense not covered by her financial aid.
Citlaly and her father didn't have to navigate these challenges on their own. CDI's donor-supported SOAR Fund covered the cost of purchasing the laptop and Citlaly's CDI counselor helped her appeal to her school for a revised financial aid package due to her family's changed circumstances.
"It would have been a very hard path for me and my dad to try and do that by ourselves without the guidance of people who know what to do and what not to do."
College enabled Citlaly to discover the career path she wanted to pursue. She'd always been an artistic type, but she hadn't figured out how to turn her passion into a career until her freshman year of college.
At Marymount University she was introduced to interior design. She loved it right away! The blend between the rigor of reading precise construction documents and the creativity of color palettes, textile choices, and personal taste were thrilling to her. It was both an art and a science, and she loved that.
Even before graduating, Citlaly was able to get her foot in the door via an internship with the Washington Design Center. Seamlessly she transitioned to a full-time role at a neighboring showroom at the design center immediately after graduation. As a Samples Librarian, she works with countless interior designers providing the essential materials that bring their visions to life, supporting processes across the entire spectrum: from individual room design, to whole home renovation, to commercial projects.
"The thing I love the most is connecting with clients and building relationships with them. Making sure that they can count on us."
Just three years out of college, Citlaly has a bright and beautiful future ahead of her – one which CDI and supporters like you helped make possible.
Your support of CDI extends beyond the impact it has on our Scholars – it makes our world a nicer place to live. Whether it's through creating calming spaces, exciting short films, or beautiful photographs, CDI Scholars are infusing beauty into our world and documenting its natural charms. When you give to support them, you make the world more beautiful for all of us.
