Hobart Medal of Excellence
Eric Cohler '81
President of Eric Cohler Design; Adjunct Professor of Art and Architecture at HWS
During the 2016 Charter Day celebrations, the Hobart College Alumni Association presented its highest honor, the Medal of Excellence, to Eric Cohler '81, president of Eric Cohler Design and an adjunct professor of art and architecture at HWS.
Cohler is one of the country's leading interior designers and has been named to the top 10 designer list in the U.S. by Elle Decor. The International Foodservice Distributors Association awarded Cohler its Circle of Excellence Award and Traditional Home and Decoration & Design Buildingnamed him Designer of the Year. He was included in House Beautiful's "Top 100" designers issue, and has had his design and fabric selected by President Barack and Mrs. Michelle Obama for the White House dining room. He was named as an Ambassador of Arts and Spirituality to the United Nations and served as the keynote speaker of the G 20 in Seoul, South Korea.
Cohler earned his bachelor's degree in English and art with a concentration in history from Hobart, where he was a member of Kappa Alpha. He later earned a master's degree in historic preservation from Columbia University School of Architecture and a certificate in design from Harvard Graduate School of Design.
Cohler worked with Ketchum Communications and Saatchi and Saatchi, two of the world's largest public relations and communications agencies, before establishing Eric Cohler Designs in 1991. Based in New York City, Cohler works closely with clients internationally to design and develop the spaces of their dreams.
At HWS, he serves as an adjunct professor and supports the Eric Cohler Internship and Travel Award, which he established to empower students interested in design and/or the arts through internship and study abroad experiences. "One of the greatest pleasures of my life is teaching a series of art and design courses at the Colleges," Cohler said.