Board Member Vaughn Lewis, Assoc. AIA, Reflects on the Impact of AF Scholarships
by: Vaughn Lewis, Assoc. AIA, Architects Foundation Board Committee Chair
As a proud board member of the Architects Foundation, I’m honored to share my deep belief in the power of scholarships to transform lives—and in our responsibility as a foundation to build pathways for the next generation of architects.
I know this firsthand. Throughout my academic journey, I was fortunate to receive several transformative scholarships, including the Next Generation Scholarship—formerly the AIA/AF Diversity Scholarship—and the Architects Foundation/McAslan Fellowship. These opportunities enabled me to explore architecture across continents, revealing how the built environment both shapes and is shaped by the diverse cultures and communities it serves. These experiences expanded my worldview and deepened my commitment to design, equity, and service.
For the past two years, I’ve had the privilege of serving as chair of the Architects Foundation’s Scholar Selection and Support Committee. In this role, I’ve continued to witness the enduring spirit of service reflected in the Next Generation Scholarship—established in 1970 in response to Whitney M. Young Jr.’s urgent call for a more just and inclusive profession. To this day, it remains a powerful vehicle for supporting students from all backgrounds who are passionate about architecture and driven to make a difference.
Lewis addressing scholars and guests at an event during the 2023 Conference on Architecture in Design in San Francisco, CA.
This year, many organizations face challenges that threaten their ability to support students in pursuing their education. In this moment, our role as a foundation is more critical than ever. We have a duty to advocate for our scholars and to ensure they have the resources and community they need as they begin their architectural journeys.
Our goal remains clear: to cultivate a profession that reflects the full richness and diversity of the communities it serves—and to uplift the future designers and changemakers who will shape our built environment for generations to come.
Together, we are building a more inclusive, inspired, and impactful architectural landscape.
WASHINGTON – The Architects Foundation today announced the recipients for five of its scholarship programs that support future leaders of the profession in equity, diversity, and sustainability.
The Architects Foundation is continuing to support the future of the architecture profession by recognizing and supporting scholars through an ever-expanding scholarship and grant program offering. Programs listed below represent the latest recipients of the Architects Foundation’s scholarship and grant programs.
2023 Diversity Advancement Scholarship
The Architects Foundation is continuing to support diversity in the architecture profession by awarding its Diversity Advancement Scholarship to 3 students entering architecture school. Each of the students will receive $4,000 per year towards tuition for the next five years totaling $20,000 each. This year’s recipients are:
• Sherwin-Williams Scholar Justin Chappell, a freshman at Florida A&M University.
• Fireclay Tile Scholar Gabriella Doe, a sophomore at University of Notre Dame.
• RS&H Scholar Silvia Kim, a freshman at Carnegie Mellon University.
2023 Yann Weymouth Graduate Scholarship
The Architects Foundation is awarding the 2023 Yann Weymouth Graduate Scholarship to Alec Harrigan.
2023 Jason Pettigrew Memorial ARE Scholarship
The Architects Foundation is awarding the 2023 Jason Pettigrew Memorial ARE Scholarship to 10 emerging professionals to defray the costs associated with the Architect Registration Examination (ARE). Scholarship recipients will receive funds to cover the cost of the ARE, as well as $500 for study materials to prepare for testing. This year’s recipients are:
• Fallon Barrett
• Calvin Gallion
• Nancy De La Vega
• Jason Hegenauer
• Brittany Leneave
• Taisa Peree-Sehic
• Oswaldo Rivera-Ortiz
• Caroline Sorge
• Maddison Wells
• Ruichen Xu
This year, we had an extraordinary number of exceptional applicants to the Jason Pettigrew Memorial ARE Scholarship. Thanks to Tiffany Brown, Assoc. AIA, NOMA, 400FORWARD will fund the exam costs for an additional three applicants, expanding the reach and impact of this program and encouraging these emerging professionals at a pivotal point in their career. The applicants supported by 400FORWARD are:
• Darius Mathius
• Dezha McKoy-Overton
• Stephanie White
2023 Student Loan Relief Grant
The Architects Foundation is awarding the inaugural Student Loan Relief Grant to provide $5,000 of support to architecture graduates who are struggling with student debt. This year’s recipients are:
• Jasmyn Byrd
• Joshua Foster
Meet the 2023 Richard Morris Hunt Prize Laureates
The Architects Foundation is proud to present the 2023 Richard Morris Hunt Prize Fellow and scholar, selected at the December 2022 jury in Washington, DC at The Octagon. Congratulations to Lurita and Marika!
Lurita McIntosh Blank, NCARB, RBEC, APT RP, has received a 6-month travel fellowship to France to study Vertical Timber Framing Practices.
Lurita is a Principal with Raths, Raths & Johnson, Inc., a national engineering, architecture, and forensics consulting firm headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. She is a Registered Architect in multiple states, a Registered Building Envelope Consultant through the International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants (IIBEC), a Recognized Professional through the Association for Preservation Technology (APT), and holds of Master of Science in Historic Preservation from Columbia University.
With a 15+ year career in architectural forensics, Lurita’s practice focuses on issues with material degradation, building performance, and water intrusion. Her expertise includes masonry, heavy timber, and roofing/waterproofing. At RRJ, Lurita leads the historic preservation and federal markets, providing investigation, diagnosis, and repair design for heritage structures across the country. Her current work includes multiple projects in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, on French colonial vertical log structures.
Marika Dalley Snider, PhD, AIA is the recipient of the 5-week scholarship whose research topic focuses on Curating Paris’s Layers through Historic Preservation.
Marika is an architect, educator, and storyteller who celebrates the small, the forgotten, and the under-appreciated architecture and its associated people through film and visualization, writing, and historic preservation.
Marika’s architectural practice spans a wide variety of small and medium-sized project types but her passion is history and historic preservation. Museum-quality restorations to state owned historic sites such as the home of former U.S. President Warren G Harding and investigative fieldwork on Harriet Beecher Stowe’s House are some of her proudest work. She is equally proud of her work on historic storefronts and supporting preservation in small towns in Ohio, Utah, and Tennessee.
Marika teaches undergraduate and graduate comprehensive studios and the history of architecture series at the University of Memphis. Her research focuses on virtual and augmented reality for interpretation of historic African-American neighborhoods.
Learn more about the Richard Morris Hunt Prize here.
Earlier this year, the Architects Foundation awarded the 2022 Yann Weymouth Graduate Scholarship to Cheyenne Yamada. Yamada, a student at the University of Pennsylvania, will receive a $5,000 scholarship towards tuition for demonstrating an exemplary work focus of design that includes sustainability, resilience, wellness, and beauty. The scholarship honors practicing architect Yann Weymouth, FAIA, who will also mentor Cheyenne.
“Cheyenne demonstrated in her student work a practical and imaginative focus on creating environments to support those in society with few resources. She made inventive use of available local materials to respond to local climate and conditions. Her strongest project combined hand-drawn and digital images with which she portrayed her vision of a safe and welcoming community for homeless persons camping in remote Oahu beaches. The unexpected combination of techniques demonstrated a sensitive empathy and mature presentation,” said Weymouth.
“Ms. Yamada’s talent is coupled with a sense of responsibility for how it should be applied to creatively address issues of equity and sustainability.”
Prior to studying at the University of Pennsylvania, Cheyenne graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Science in Pre-Professional Architecture in 2021.
Cheyenne is of Chamorro and Filipino descent, born in Saipan of the Northern Mariana Islands and raised in the mainland U.S. just outside of Washington D.C. Coming from these dual landscapes of a fourteen by five mile long island in the Pacific versus a metropolitan area, she has been exposed to incredibly diverse natural, built, and socioeconomic environments. It is her unique upbringing to which she attributes her continuing curiosity about how design influences people from different walks of life as well as how it affects the natural environment in which it intervenes. This curiosity has sustained throughout her architectural studies thus far as her studio projects have naturally gravitated towards sustainable design efforts to simultaneously promote both cultural and environmental resilience.
Applications for the 2023 Yann Weymouth Graduate Scholarship will open November 7. Sign up to receive notifications about the application opening.
AF announces 2022 Sho-Ping Chin Women’s Leadership Summit Grantees
The Architects Foundation is recognizing and supporting women in architecture with the Sho-Ping Chin Women’s Leadership Summit Grant.
The Sho-Ping Chin WLS Grant provides travel and registration to the AIA Women’s Leadership Summit, empowering women through leadership, knowledge, and community. This year, the grant will fund ten women to attend the summit, which is being held from September 28-Oct 1 in Silicon Valley. This year’s recipients are:
The grant was established in 2017 in memory of Sho-Ping Chin, FAIA, a Principal at Payette who founded the inaugural AIA Women’s Leadership Summit in 2009.
“The Architects Foundation is privileged to honor Sho-Ping Chin’s legacy through this grant program, which was established by her colleagues and is now entrusted with us,” said Architects Foundation Executive Director, Marci Reed. “We are thrilled to be gathering again in person to share one another’s passion and wisdom and to support and empower women in architecture.”
The Architects Foundation is seeking donations for the next class of recipients. Support women in architecture and donate today.
AF Announces recipients of 2022 AIA LFRT ARE Scholarship
The Architects Foundation today announced recipients for the AIA Large Firm Roundtable (LFRT) ARE Scholarship.
The Architects Foundation’s AIA LFRT ARE Scholarship helps fulfill the LFRT’s goal to double the number of licensed Black architects by 2030. The scholarship defrays the costs associated with the Architect Registration Examination (ARE), provides a one-year subscription to ArchiPrep and covers one year of Associate AIA or NOMA member dues.
“The future of our profession is bright. These scholarship winners will continue to build upon efforts to push our profession to be equitable, inclusive, and diverse,” said Jonathan Moody, AIA, chair of the review committee and co-chair of the LFRT Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) committee.
“I look through the list and see 34 steps on our continued journey of progress. The result will be better outcomes for all those we serve.”
2022 Architects Foundation Fireclay Tile Scholar Selected
The Architects Foundation has announced the recipients of its Diversity Advancement Scholarship, including the scholarship sponsored by Fireclay Tile. Oni Thornell of Brooklyn, NY will receive $4,000 per year towards tuition for up to five years to attend Syracuse University.
“Fireclay Tile is thrilled to partner with the Architects Foundation to support talented, inquisitive, and compassionate future architects like Oni Thornell” said Lindsey Bourcier, Fireclay Tile Brand Manager.
“Oni’s dedication to making meaningful change, her desire to lean into sustainable practices, and most importantly, her advocacy for equal access to the rights inherent in architecture resonated strongly with our team at Fireclay and aligns with our ethos of continuous improvement in building an inclusive world.”
Embracing diverse viewpoints and cultures in architecture is an asset to the profession, and the Diversity Advancement Scholarship offers students with a passion for studying the discipline of architecture an opportunity to successfully complete their studies no matter their color or where they come from.
The Diversity Advancement Scholarship was created in 1970 with an initial grant from the Ford Foundation, after civil rights leader Whitney Young Jr. challenged architects in 1968 to create a more responsible and equitable field. The Architects Foundation has been managing the program since 2009 and has expanded the program size thanks to the support of sponsors like Fireclay Tile.
2022 Architects Foundation Scholars Selected
The Architects Foundation today announced the recipients for four of its tuition scholarship programs that support future leaders of the profession in equity, diversity, and sustainability.
The Architects Foundation is continuing to support the future of the architecture profession by recognizing and supporting scholars through an ever-expanding scholarship and grant program offering. Programs listed below represent the latest recipients of the Architects Foundation’s scholarship and grant programs.
2022 Diversity Advancement Scholarship The Architects Foundation is continuing to support diversity in the architecture profession by awarding its Diversity Advancement Scholarship to 7 students entering architecture school. Each of the students will receive $4,000 per year towards tuition for the next five years totaling $20,000 each. This year’s recipients are:
2022 Payette Sho-Ping Chin Memorial Academic Scholarship The Architects Foundation is awarding the 2022 Payette Sho-Ping Chin Memorial Academic Scholarship to Jada Cannon. Cannon, a student at Cornell University, will receive a $10,000 scholarship intended to support the education of women in architecture. They will also be mentored by an architect at Payette for the scholarship year. This award honors late architect Sho-Ping Chin, FAIA, a long-time principal at Payette and a healthcare practice leader who was instrumental in defining and elevating the national discourse for women in design.
2022 a/e ProNet David W. Lakamp AIA Scholarship
The Architects Foundation is awarding the 2022 a/e ProNet David W. Lakamp AIA Scholarship to Jennifer Stieben (University of Kentucky) and Sabrina Lem (University of Illinois at Chicago). Each will receive $5,000 to be used towards tuition for demonstrating a strong interest in practice and risk management. The scholarship honors David W. Lakamp, who was a founder of a/e ProNet and a trusted advisor to the profession of architecture.
2022 Yann Weymouth Graduate Scholarship
The Architects Foundation is awarding the 2022 Yann Weymouth Graduate Scholarship to Cheyenne Yamada. Yamada, a student at the University of Pennsylvania, will receive a $5,000 scholarship towards tuition for demonstrating an exemplary work focus of design that includes sustainability, resilience, wellness, and beauty. The scholarship honors practicing architect Yann Weymouth, FAIA, who will also mentor Yamada.
In the ongoing work to create a more diverse next generation of the profession, the Architects Foundation is expanding their mentor program for students that have been awarded their Diversity Advancement Scholarships. After receiving a request from Danielle Mitchell, a student at Cornell University and one of the 2021 scholars, to be paired with an architect mentor from the Architects League of Northern New Jersey area, Stacey Ruhle Kliesch, AIA, volunteered to serve.
Stacey has filled associated roles for many years, starting her term as AIA NJ IDP Coordinator in 1994, adding Associate Regional Director and keeping those roles until 1999. Stacey has also provided Architectural Education to grades K-12 since 1992. Currently, as the mom of a college freshman, Stacey felt very comfortable accepting the opportunity to work with an architecture student of the same age, provide guidance in the profession and connect Danielle with all of the right people and resources to support her through school and beyond.
Danielle, a resident of Bergen County, has been planning for her future for many years. She decided to pursue a career in architecture while she was in middle school. In fact, Danielle and Stacey met previously on February 6, 2020, at the AIA New Jersey Tower Challenge hosted by the AIA New Jersey K-12 Education Committee at Danielle’s high school in Tenafly. At their first mentoring meeting on Sunday, February 27, Danielle committed to working with Stacey as her Architects Foundation Mentor.
While Danielle noted that many of her classmates are already changing majors just one semester into freshman year, she is feeling confident that she is in the right program. Enjoying studio and history, Cornell is challenging her in all the right ways. She choose to attend her school because it is the only ivy league with an accredited B. Arch program. Danielle already has a summer internship lined up at Columbia University in NYC where her father, Dennis A. Mitchell, DDS, MPH, serves as the Executive Vice President for University Life, Senior Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement and Professor of Dental Medicine at the Columbia University Medical Center.
ARCHITECTS FOUNDATION DIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT SCHOLARSHIP
Known by different names ranging from the AIA/Ford Scholarship to the AIA Minority Disadvantaged Scholarship Program to today’s Architects Foundation Diversity Advancement Scholarship, the AIA has awarded scholarships to minorities since 1970.
Prompted by the sage words of Whitney Young in his keynote speech to the AIA at the 1968 Convention, the scholarship was founded in 1969 when the AIA and Ford Foundation each pledged $500,000 to support three different groups of students’ education in the field of architecture.
The program sought to give scholarships, not only to those youths in financial need but to those who otherwise would not have other means to obtain a professional education. Since the Diversity Advancement Scholarship was launched in 1970, it has been awarded to over 2,300 students.
The Architects Foundation awards the Diversity Advancement Scholarships annually to rising first-year, second-year, and community college transfer students from a minority background who intend to study in a NAAB-accredited architecture program. These scholarships are supported by the American Institute of Architecture (AIA) and, in the 2018-19 school year, the program has more than doubled in size thanks to a 2016 gift of $1 million from the AIA.
ARCHITECTS FOUNDATION MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
Many students enter architecture programs with misconceptions about the realities of the profession and/or knowing very little about professional practice. The rigors of architecture programs often leave students so engrossed in their academic programs that they are left with little time to develop relationships outside of their school or college. Focusing on the success in their design studio, students are often unaware or lose sight of the important role professional relationships and networking can play in their professional careers. A lack of diversity in schools of architecture can also lead to a feeling of isolation for many minorities in architecture programs. To that end, the AF is launching a mentorship pilot program to support scholarship recipients during their time in their respective architecture programs.
While Stacey plans to be Danielle’s primary AIA NJ contact, she also intends to take Danielle to visit varied architecture firms and meet other professionals at committee and membership meetings. They have preliminary plans for their next meeting when Danielle gets home from school followed by an invitation to attend the June 16th Architects League Scholarship Dinner at Lambert Castle.
As the AIA NJ Chair for the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Architecture Committee, Stacey is managing the volunteer list for the AIA NJ participants in the Architects Foundation Mentorship Program. If you’d like to volunteer to mentor another student or wish to invite Danielle and Stacey to take a field trip to your office or a project under construction in the future, please contact Stacey at staceykliesch@gmail.com.
Scholar Feature: Zuleika Baldeo
If you were at a pool party with Zuleika Baldeo and her cousins Holly and Quinn in June, your relaxing day was likely interrupted by quite a scene.
“I read the email and burst out crying,” she recalls. “I was jumping up and down with my cousins. They were confused at first about what I was talking about until I showed them the email.”
Zuleika Baldeo, a sophomore student at Morgan State University, had just received news that she won the Curry Stone Foundation Diversity Advancement Scholarship. successfully.
Her journey to that memorable moment highlights what it means to be a Black woman in the architecture industry and what the industry is currently doing to provide more resources for students like her to enter the field.
When Zuleika started her college journey, she had one goal in mind. “Get a degree. No matter how long it takes, whether it was five or fifty years, I needed to graduate.”
The goal was clear, but the path forward would be more complicated. Unsure of what she wanted to study, Zuleika began at Ithaca College as a psychology major before transferring to community college in her hometown and changing her interest to criminology. She then studied mechanical engineering at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), where her path toward architecture truly began.
“I realized that I was interested in something tactical and hands-on. I enjoyed the classes I was taking at UMBC, but I wasn’t interested in the functional aspect. My heart was in the design of the buildings.” With a lifelong love for art, she understood that this was an opportunity to combine her passion for creativity with her talents in math and science.
Like many, architecture wasn’t a field that Zuleika would have considered before her experiences at UMBC. “Architecture is a pretty expensive pursuit,” says Kimberly Dowdell, former president of the National Organization of Minority Architects. “Aside from tuition costs for five to seven years, there are the books, the drafting and modeling materials, the needed software and more. It can quickly add up.”
Kimberly’s work helps foster collaboration between students and senior staff at architecture firms through mentorship programs and networking opportunities. But there’s a largescale visibility issue within the industry to even get Black people to consider architecture as an option for a career path. According to the Directory of African American Architects, there are less than 2,500 licensed Black architects in the United States. This number is just a fraction of the more than 100,000 total licensed architects in the country.
This fact, combined with growing unrest and social action against police brutality toward African Americans, pushed Kimberly to combine forces with more than 400 other architects and major firms to sign on to an announcement. On October 25, 2020, they took out a full-page ad in The New York Times’ Sunday edition with the important message: Black Lives Matter.
“It wasn’t so much a political statement,” Kimberly says, “but it certainly was recognition that the livelihood of Black people matters, and within the architecture industry there is a clear disparity and need to close the gap.”
The ad included a call to action to contribute to the Diversity Advancement Scholarship through an appeal of the Historically Black College and University (HBCU) fund. As a direct result, Clifford Curry, FAIA and Dr. Delight Stone, RPA, funded the Curry Stone Foundation Diversity Advancement Scholarship. Zuleika was selected as the recipient of this transformational scholarship of $20,000 per year for five years.
“Today, there are many people who are interested in increasing representation in the architect industry, but more still needs to be done,” says Cliff. “This scholarship is a way to encourage more diversity in the industry. I hope that this award will enable Zuleika to worry a little less on paying her tuition costs and excel her forward as an architect.”
Zuleika almost missed out on the opportunity. “I only heard about it through a former coworker, who isn’t even an architect. She knew that this was my field and thought I’d be a good fit for it.” But there was one problem: “I only had a week to apply.”
The near-miss opportunity and scramble for materials such as recommendation letters and transcripts highlights some of the obstacles students encounter, especially those of color. “We may hear that there are scholarships and funds available, but if we don’t have the right connections or proper resources and time to apply to them – and believe me, they take a lot of work – then it doesn’t work in our favor.”
Zuleika hopes that opportunities like her scholarship can be made more readily available to Black people like her. “This scholarship allowed me to dream about things that I thought were out of grasp for me, like being a homeowner. It could open a doorway for so many others to realize their full potential by lifting the burden of tuition and make it just a little easier for people who look like me to enter the profession.”
As for what’s next, Zuleika hopes that this is just the start of her new path forward in the profession. Through the twists and turns that she has experienced, one thing has remained constant. “On my first day in the architecture school’s center, seeing all of the models and posters from student work, I knew in my heart that I was in the right place.”
The Diversity Advancement Scholarship program is one of several facilitated by the Architects Foundation. The Architects Foundation leads philanthropic efforts that lay the foundation of architecture’s future, by attracting, inspiring, and investing in new and diverse generations of architects who will create inclusive spaces and places. Last year, the Architects Foundation raised more than $500,000 to support 66 students. To donate or learn more, visit https://architectsfoundation.org/
Having now graduated from the Bachelor of Architecture program at Carnegie Mellon University and having reflected on my experiences of the degree, I have come to realize the deeper importance of my time at the School of Architecture. A Bachelor of Architecture is much more than an arduous endeavor; it is an educational experience that affords both serendipitous creativity and methodical problem-solving and rewards risk and curiosity. Through the program and the generosity of The Architects Foundation, I have grown into a skillful young designer and thinker as well as a budding researcher, creating projects ranging from architectural theory to sustainable design, analogue media to computational frameworks. I have also furthered my academic career through working as a teaching assistant for numerous architecture courses ranging from drawing to construction assembly to architectural history.
My devotion to my art has been personally and academically rewarding, earning both College and University Honors and travel and design awards in my third and fourth years, respectively. But it is important never to rest on one’s laurels, but to always strive for excellence and even higher achievements. This is why I consider my Bachelor of Architecture as a first step in my academic career. I will be returning to Carnegie Mellon University this coming year for a Master’s of Science degree in Sustainable Design. With the climate crisis brought on by the seemingly irreversible threat of global warming, I consider it crucial to put all one’s effort into revolutionizing ecologically minded development to truly make this the best of all possible worlds. I hope to remain in school for many years to come, building up knowledge and participating in cutting edge research, so that I might teach future generations of the wonders made possible at the intersection of art and science.
2021 Architects Foundation Scholars Selected
Scholarships recognize and support diverse future leaders of the profession in equity, practice management and sustainability
WASHINGTON – The Architects Foundation today announced the recipients for four of its scholarship programs that support future leaders of the profession in equity, diversity, and sustainability.
The Architects Foundation is continuing to support the future of the architecture profession by recognizing and supporting scholars through an ever-expanding scholarship and grant program offering. Programs listed below represent the latest recipients of the Architects Foundation’s scholarship and grant programs.
2021 Diversity Advancement Scholarship The Architects Foundation is continuing to support diversity in the architecture profession by awarding its Diversity Advancement Scholarship to 12 students entering architecture school. Each of the students will receive $4,000 per year towards tuition for the next five years totaling $20,000 each. This year’s recipients are:
Zuleika Baldeo (Curry Stone Foundation Scholar) – Windsor Mill, MD
2021 Payette Sho-Ping Chin Memorial Academic Scholarship The Architects Foundation is awarding the 2021 Payette Sho-Ping Chin Memorial Academic Scholarship to Brittney Sooksengdao. Sooksengdao, a student at Virginia Tech, will receive a $10,000 scholarship intended to support the education of women in architecture. She will also be mentored by an architect at Payette for the scholarship year. Sooksengdao is the sixth recipient of the scholarship, which honors late architect Sho-Ping Chin, FAIA, a long-time principal at Payette and a healthcare practice leader who was instrumental in defining and elevating the national discourse for women in design.
2021 a/e ProNet David W. Lakamp AIA Scholarship
The Architects Foundation is awarding the 2021 a/e ProNet David W. Lakamp AIA Scholarship to Alexandra Gottlin, University of Oregon, and Schola Eburuoh, Harvard Graduate School of Design. Each will receive $5,000 to be used towards tuition for demonstrating a strong interest in practice and risk management. The scholarship honors David W. Lakamp, who was a founder of a/e ProNet and a trusted advisor to the profession of architecture.
2021 Yann Weymouth Graduate Scholarship The Architects Foundation is awarding the 2021 Yann Weymouth Graduate Scholarship to Josh Greene. Greene, a student at Yale University, will receive a $5,000 scholarship towards tuition for demonstrating an exemplary work focus of design that includes sustainability, resilience, wellness, and beauty. The scholarship honors practicing architect Yann Weymouth, FAIA, who will also mentor Greene.
2021 Grad Reflection: Melissa Smith
Congratulations to our 2021 graduates! Read reflections from our 2020-2021 AF/McAslan Fellow, Melissa Smith.
I have struggled to write this story because it has been difficult to come to terms with the apparent end of my formal education. Although there are many adventures to be had, I cannot help but think back on everything the University of Kansas has given me. While I’m eager for my next journey, I think about my time at KU and worry about what I may lose as I move forward to gain new and enriching experiences.
I have been a student for the vast majority of my life. It has been a central aspect of my identity. Not only have I been a student, but I like to think I’ve been a pretty great one. Aside from high grades, I’ve gone above and beyond to win awards, do unexpected and creative things, complete research publications, lead clubs. earn certifications, and excel in internships. With this chapter closing, I’ve asked myself what could possibly replace this obnoxiously studious aspect of my personality. Of course, I intend to excel in the workplace as well, as I move to New Orleans to begin my architectural career with LRK, but I’m not sure anything could truly fill the void left by formal education. Now that I have some free time, though, as the late nights in studio end, I hope to spend it enriching my life in other ways. I’d love to rekindle my love for dance by taking some classes, I hope to continue advancing my skills in the kitchen, I intend to satisfy my need for world travel and cultural exchange, I can spend time reading, drawing, and painting, and most importantly I have more time to spend with the people I love. This brings me to the other difficult part of university life wrapping up and moving to a new city.
KU has not only offered me incredible educational opportunities – research, world travel, excellent professors, certification programs, extracurriculars, and the like – but it has been my home for five years in every sense of the word, and I am not necessarily looking forward to leaving. KU is where I met my best friends, worked under wonderful mentors, and made life-changing memories. While I have hope for the future and know I will experience more transformative events before it’s all said and done, I still fear losing the relationships and memories I have spent so long building. I hope that I can keep the friendships and memories I have while taking advantage of every new opportunity.
Now that I’ve secured my Master’s in Architecture from the University of Kansas, I’ll be working with LRK in New Orleans to design WELL-certified buildings and communities, and I look forward to putting my Health & Wellness and Historic Preservation certificates to work. I hope to use my studies in Copenhagen and elsewhere around the world to design more sustainably and beautifully. I’m eager to continue working toward licensure and hopefully earn some other certifications along the way, such as WELL and LEED. I’m also eager to wrap up my work with the Architects Foundation / John McAslan + Partners Fellowship this summer in Edinburgh, Scotland and to see how my work on the joint HDR / University of Kansas / University of Nebraska Lincoln publication “Rural Resolve: Imaging the Future Health and Wellbeing of Small Communities” may affect rural healthcare and design going forward.
Who’s to say where I may be in a year, or five years, or ten? But I’m excited to see where this next path takes me as I continue to embrace change and take advantage of opportunities, even if it means letting go of certain things I once held dear. So, here’s to the future and here’s to the class of 2021; we did it!
Architects Foundation announces recipients of 2020 Architect Registration Examination scholarships
Scholarships cover costs of the Architectural Registration Examination.
WASHINGTON – The Architects Foundation today announced recipients for three Architect Registration Examination® (ARE) scholarships.
Through the Jason Pettigrew Memorial ARE Scholarship, LFRT ARE Scholarship, and the 400 Forward ARE Scholarship, candidates for licensure receive funds covering costs of the Architect Registration Examination®.
Jason Pettigrew Memorial ARE Scholarship
The Jason Pettigrew Memorial ARE Scholarship recognizes the significant contributions of emerging professionals at early stages in their careers and helps defray the costs associated with the ARE. Each of the scholarship recipients will receive funds to cover all sections of the ARE, as well as a free subscription to ArchiPrep® and up to $500 worth of ARE 5.0 study materials. This year’s scholars include:
The AIA Large Firm Roundtable presents two awards to Black and African American candidates for licensure. Awardees receive a grant covering the full cost of the Architectural Registration Examination, as well as study materials, access to Archiprep®, and Assoc. AIA membership. The 2020 LFRT ARE Scholarship winners are:
Jonathan Cartwright, Assoc. AIA
Rebekah Gaines Schranck, Assoc. AIA
Applications for next year’s LFRT ARE Scholarship will launch in the second quarter of 2021.
400 Forward ARE Scholarship
Two additional scholarships are also being donated this year by 2018 Pettigrew Scholarship recipient Tiffany Brown, Assoc. AIA. Brown’s scholarship will cover the cost of AREs for Black and African American females who did not already receive an award this year through her organization 400 FORWARD, which aims to support the next generation of licensed women architects. Recipients of Brown’s award, include:
Fallon Johnson, Assoc. AIA
Sharlita Olaleye, Assoc. AIA
“We very much appreciate the generosity of LFRT and 400 Forward,” said Architects Foundation Board Vice President and Jury Chair Bill Roschen, FAIA. “With their support, we can help move the needle toward licensure of Black and African American ARE candidates.”
Architects Foundation Names 2021 Richard Morris Hunt Prize Recipients
Laureates receive a 6-month or 5-week travel fellowship to France to conduct cutting-edge research in historic preservation.
WASHINGTON – The Architects Foundation, the Amis du Richard Morris Hunt Prize and the French Heritage Society today announced the 2021 recipients of the Richard Morris Hunt Prize, a travel fellowship to France for architects pursuing cutting-edge research on emerging trends in historic preservation.
Jonathan Bell, AIA, of Providence, R.I. will receive a $20,000 travel fellowship to carry out research over six months on resources for stabilizing abandoned buildings which are still outside of traditional heritage protections.
Gregoire Holeyman, AIA, of Washington, DC will receive a $5,000 award to research historic structures in France that have been successfully preserved and converted into museums.
The winners were selected from a group of four finalists, whose topics were vetted by a group of former American laureates.
“The jury had a very difficult decision to make, as all of the proposed topics were well-conceived, timely, and relevant,” said James Walbridge, AIA, Architects Foundation President and co-chair of the jury.
The Richard Morris Hunt Prize (RMHP) has been fostering and supporting cross-cultural professional exchange between France and the United States since 1990. U.S. design professionals study in France, and French design professionals study in the U.S. during alternating years.
Due to the continuing coronavirus pandemic, travel is deferred until restrictions have been lifted. The 2020 laureates, who will travel to the United States from France, are also waiting to travel.
Complete details on the Richard Morris Hunt Prize program are available on the Architects Foundation website. Learn more about how to support this important work in sustainability and preservation here.
About the Architects Foundation
As the philanthropic partner of The American Institute of Architects, the Architects Foundation attracts, inspires, and invests in a next-generation design community through scholarships and exhibitions. The Architects Foundation owns the historic Octagon building in the nation’s capital, activating the space to demonstrate the value architects and architecture bring to culture.
About the Amis du Richard Morris Hunt Prize
In 2016, Michèle le Menestrel Ullrich, founder of the Richard Morris Hunt Prize, founded the Amis du Richard Morris Hunt Prize, a French nonprofit organization. The association was created to provide support to the laureates, organize events and increase awareness of the RMHP.
About the French Heritage Society
French Heritage Society is an American nonprofit organization with ten chapters in the U.S. and one in France. Its central mission is to ensure that the treasures of our shared French architectural and cultural heritage survive in order to inspire future generations. Over the past 38 years, FHS has given more than 600 restoration grants to properties throughout France and in the U.S. and selected and supported over 500 students from prestigious universities who have crossed the Atlantic for internships at esteemed institutions.
About AIA
Founded in 1857, AIA consistently works to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings, neighborhoods, and communities. Through more than 200 international, state and local chapters, AIA advocates for public policies that promote economic vitality and public wellbeing.
AIA provides members with tools and resources to assist them in their careers and business as well as engaging civic and government leaders and the public to find solutions to pressing issues facing our communities, institutions, nation, and world. Members adhere to a code of ethics and conduct to ensure the highest professional standards.
The 2021-2022 Payette Sho-Ping Chin Memorial Academic Scholarship
Source: Payette In partnership with the Architects Foundation, we are pleased to announce the 2021-2022 Payette Sho-Ping Chin Memorial Academic Scholarship. This $10,000 grant is intended to support women pursuing a professional degree in architecture recognized by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). In addition, to help the scholarship recipient establish contacts within the profession, she will be assigned a senior mentor from Payette for the scholarship year. Qualified students entering at least their third year of undergraduate, or any level of graduate study, are encouraged to apply. The deadline is January 15, 2021.This scholarship honors the late architect Sho-Ping Chin, FAIA, a long-time principal at Payette and a health-care practice leader who was instrumental in defining and elevating the national discourse for women in design. Allexxus Farley-Thomas (Cornell University) was the 2020-2021 recipient. Earlier recipients of the scholarship, which was established in 2016, are: Michelle Badr (Yale), Naureen Mazumdar (Harvard GSD), Olivia Huang (MIT) and Orli Hakanoglu (Yale).
Among other requirements, applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and are required to provide an essay that discusses the influence of architecture and architects to improve the human condition and quality of life their resume, a professional resume, a portfolio of their creative work and two letters of recommendation. To apply, visit the Architects Foundation.
We’re incredibly proud to offer this scholarship as a way to honor Sho-Ping’s legacy and mentor future architects. Sho-Ping was a wonderful mentor and the impact of her work at our firm and in the profession is still felt today. I’m always inspired by the applicants and am thrilled we’re able to offer this opportunity.
CHING-HUA HO, PRINCIPAL
REMEMBERING SHO-PING CHIN, FAIA During her tenure at Payette and throughout her career, Sho-Ping Chin, FAIA brought a fierce determination to designing high caliber spaces for those in need. This determination translated to a passion for civic responsibility and equity in the profession, as evidenced by her work for Saint Boniface Hospital in Haiti, among other endeavors. Sho-Ping led the healthcare practice at Payette from 2000 to her untimely passing in 2015. At Payette she focused exclusively on healthcare because she felt passionately about it. She worked continuously to inspire others to feel similarly. Her involvement on projects was comprehensive from inception with planning and programming to occupancy. She firmly believed successful outcomes are derived from an inclusive design process where she worked effectively to build and obtain consensus. In addition to her contributions as a Principal of the firm, she was a wonderful mentor and instilled her teams with a sense of camaraderie and commitment to design.
2020 Architects Foundation Scholars Selected
Scholarships recognize and support diverse future leaders of the profession in equity, practice management, sustainability, and global practice
WASHINGTON – The Architects Foundation today announced the recipients for five of its scholarship programs that support future leaders of the profession in equity, diversity, global practice, and sustainability.
The Architects Foundation is continuing to support the future of the architecture profession by recognizing and supporting scholars through an ever-expanding scholarship and grant program offering. Programs listed below represent the latest recipients of the Architects Foundation’s scholarship and grant programs.
2020 Diversity Advancement Scholarship The Architects Foundation is continuing to support diversity in the architecture profession by awarding its Diversity Advancement Scholarship to 6 students entering architecture school. Each of the students will receive $4,000 per year towards tuition for the next five years totaling $20,000 each. This year’s recipients are:
2020 Payette Sho-Ping Chin Memorial Academic Scholarship The Architects Foundation is awarding the 2020 Payette Sho-Ping Chin Memorial Academic Scholarship to Allexxus Farley-Thomas. Farley-Thomas, a student at Cornell University, will receive a $10,000 scholarship intended to support the education of women in architecture. She will also be mentored by an architect at Payette for the scholarship year. Farley-Thomas is the fifth recipient of the scholarship, which honors late architect Sho-Ping Chin, FAIA, a long-time principal at Payette and a healthcare practice leader who was instrumental in defining and elevating the national discourse for women in design.
2020 a/e ProNet David W. Lakamp AIA Scholarship
The Architects Foundation is awarding the 2020 a/e ProNet David W. Lakamp AIA Scholarship to Trey Hammond, University of Oklahoma, and Xinyuan Ma, Carnegie Mellon University. Each will receive $5,000 to be used towards tuition for demonstrating a strong interest in practice and risk management. The scholarship honors David W. Lakamp, who was a founder of a/e ProNet and a trusted advisor to the profession of architecture.
2020 Yann Weymouth Graduate Scholarship The Architects Foundation is awarding the 2020 Yann Weymouth Graduate Scholarship to Michael Paraszczak. Paraszczak, a student at Cornell University, will receive a $5,000 scholarship towards tuition for demonstrating an exemplary work focus at design that includes sustainability, resilience, wellness, and beauty. The scholarship honors practicing architect Yann Weymouth, AIA, who will also mentor Paraszczak.
2020 McAslan Fellowship The Architects Foundation is awarding the 2020 McAslan Fellowship to Michael Lidwin, University of Tennessee and Melissa Smith, University of Kansas. The scholarship supports research and travel experiences for two top graduating students to engage with UK-based firm McAslan+Partners.
Congratulations to our 2020 graduates! Read the the third installment of our series from our 2016 Diversity Advancement Scholar, Shannar O’Connor.
The past five years of architecture school have been the most transformative years of my life. I had many hardships, but also a plethora of rewarding experiences. From the beginning, the odds were never in my favor, being that I am a black woman from a single parent, immigrant family. However, my hard work, determination, and aid from scholarships, such as the Architects Foundation Diversity Advancement Scholarship, The Villagers Preservation Scholarship, and the Colin MacDonald Betsch Memorial Award, helped me to accomplish one of my major life goals—graduating Summa Cum Laude with a B.Arch degree from my dream university (the University of Miami). Furthermore, much of my success could also be attributed to the people who believed in me along the way: My high school counselor, who was and is there for me whenever my self-confidence wavers; my college advisor, whose persistence made it financially possible for me to attend the University of Miami (after I had already committed to another university); the professors that believed in me and my abilities; the principal at my 2018 Summer internship with Harrison Design (Naples, FL), who helped further my knowledge of residential architecture; my supervisor at my 2020 Spring internship with Stantec (Miami, FL), who saw potential in me as an interior designer and gave me the chance to shine by encouraging me and giving me great responsibilities; and most of all, my mom, who is my best friend and my rock.
Some of the college courses that have molded me into the designer that I am today, include my minor in art, the furniture design and design/build studio courses that I was able to take, and the upper-level studio courses that pushed me to think outside of the box. However, my most rewarding and eye-opening college experience was my semester studying abroad in Rome, Italy. I had never felt more at home in a foreign country. The people were so welcoming, the culture was fascinating, and the architecture was awe-inspiring. Also, because of the nature of the program, I got to travel all over the country, learn a great deal about Italy’s rich cultural history, try water coloring for the first time, and build life-long bonds with my peers and professors, who are now affectionately known as “mi piccola famiglia” or my small family. This experience taught me the importance of travel and inter-cultural exploration, as well as, helped me to discover my passion for interior architecture/ design.
Now that I have graduated, my goal is to gain more experience in the interior architecture/ design field and then in the future, start my own design firm, specializing in interiors, furniture design, and product design. Since being back home, due to the pandemic, I have had plenty of time to reflect on the past five years of architecture school and the biggest lesson that this education has taught me, is how to creatively problem solve. This lesson is not only going to aid me in my career as a designer, but also in life.
Congratulations to our 2020 graduates! Read the second installment of our series from our 2019 Payette Sho-Ping Chin Memorial Academic Scholar, Michelle Badr.
My reasons for pursuing an M.Arch were not necessarily conventional—sure, I wanted to revisit conceptual design, immerse myself in research, and pursue licensure— but it was also a final test to determine whether or not I wanted to stay in the discipline at all. The disconnect between an inspiring architectural education and the banal tasks that the profession offered were weighing heavily on me, so much so that I decided to return to the academic environment that first fostered my architectural interests, and I am grateful that I did.
At Yale, I realized my definition of architecture was very different from that of others. Was architecture restricted to building buildings? Could it encompass systems-thinking or other forms of spatial problem-solving? Courses outside of studio opened pathways to explore the latter definition, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and positioning spatial logic as an architectural skill in and of itself. As my definition started to evolve, so did my understanding of the agency and empowering role of the architect.
I dove into other groups on campus, pursued unique research projects, and sought guidance from mentors to extract answers on what architecture really is and what it could be utilized for. This led to some amazing projects and experiences— rethinking urban identity in Sweden, designing an innovation center in Afghanistan, imagining post-privacy housing in Mexico, dismantling private property in Italy, researching design processes in San Francisco, and curating an exhibition on the subversive use of space at the Yale School of Architecture.
These three years have left me both inspired and equipped to apply architectural thinking beyond the classroom and traditional methods of practice. I am incredibly grateful to Payette and the Architects Foundation for enabling me to cultivate a definition of architecture that breaks boundaries— one which I plan to emulate throughout my career.
Congratulations to our 2020 graduates! Read the first part of our series from our 2015-2020 Diversity Advancement Scholar, Sophie Chien.
In my five years at Rhode Island School of Design, the most important thing I’ve learned is to care. I look at care in a broad sense: to care is to be thoughtful, to build up healthy communities, to apply what we learned, to be an active citizen, to respect yourself, to advocate for others, to pay attention. This is such a gift, that designers are sensitive and responsive to the world around us. I have the power to literally draw, sculpt, paint, weave, print, sew, design, and build new futures, futures that are more equitable, beautiful, and just. Futures that don’t exist yet, but should, futures that embrace our shared humanity.
At school, I have participated in opportunities that seem impossible when stacked up together. I have modeled a friend’s collection in New York Fashion Week, traveled the world learning from schoolmates and teachers, and been inspired by so many generous people who have taken the time to talk with and mentor me. I had the honor of serving as student body president, and have been asked to speak on several panels and a podcast during my time in school.
I am very proud of the ways I have developed my own design ethos and practice, learning from internships in Nome, Providence, Rome, Paris, and Los Angeles, working for both design firms and government agencies. During my five years, I have negotiated my studio projects and my associated interests with several fellowships both on and off campus, learning from my local Providence community as much as my architectural community. In every studio project, and culminating with my almost-done thesis, I have centered justice and care as the most important design components.
This scholarship gave me the self- and financial confidence necessary to thrive in the breakneck pace of architecture school and reminded me that my experience honors the people who have come before me and the people that come after me. As I leave architecture school, I will continue to shape my future as an organizer and designer.
As a child of an immigrant, my dad always told me education is the one thing nobody can take away from you. I can’t tell you how grateful I am that my architecture degree from RISD is the one thing that I will always have with me and am so honored to have been supported by the Architects Foundation during my entire experience.
In its 30th Year, the Richard Morris Hunt Prize Redoubles its Impact
PARIS- At a moment of global environmental concern, one organization is supporting greater scholarship in conserving the built environment — the Richard Morris Hunt Prize. Founded in 1990, the Richard Morris Hunt Prize awards two prizes each year to two laureates, a Fellow and a Scholar, practicing architects specializing in historic preservation. Grants are alternatively given to French and American recipients to support in-depth research travel in the two countries. During the Richard Morris Hunt Jury on December 6th, 2019, the remarkable quality of all four finalists motivated the decision to give not only the annual RMHP Fellow and Scholar awards, but also two special 30th Anniversary Grants. Their subjects were thoroughly relevant and contemporary.
The 2020 RMHP Fellow, Simon Petot-Bottin, presented a subject entitled “National Parks and Their Amenities: The Paradox of Architecture Within Parks.” Petot-Bottin will receive a grant of $20,000 to support six months of research in the United States. Barbara Lambec, 2020 RMHP Scholar, presented a subject entitled “Waste or Opportunity: Reuse as a Vector for Renewing the Economics of Materials.” Her five-week research trip to the United States will be supported by a $5,000 grant. Runners-up Bérénice Gaussuin and Pierre Gommier will each benefit from a $2,500 award for travel and research.
During their travel and study, Fellows, Scholars, and grant recipients will benefit from the support of the Richard Morris Hunt Prize, the American Institute of Architects, (AIA), and the Architects Foundation (AF) managing teams. Scholars typically engage with the foremost experts in their chosen fields, exploring unique and exemplary sites while confronting new approaches and techniques. Finally, they become part of a rich network comprised by the thirty-seven RMHP Laureates.
Architects Foundation announces 2019 Jason Pettigrew Memorial ARE Scholarship recipients
Scholarship recipients receive funds, a subscription to ArchiPrep® and study materials for the Architectural Registration Examination.
WASHINGTON –The Architects Foundation is awarding ten recipients with its 2019 Jason Pettigrew Memorial Architect Registration Examination (ARE) Scholarship.
The Jason Pettigrew Memorial ARE Scholarship recognizes the significant contributions of emerging professionals at early stages in their careers and helps defray the costs associated with the ARE. Each of the scholarship recipients will receive funds to cover all sections of the ARE, as well as a free subscription to ArchiPrep® and up to $500 worth of ARE 5.0 study materials. This year’s scholars include:
Evan Berger, Assoc. AIA
Hiba Bhatty, Assoc. AIA
Ethan Coverstone, Assoc. AIA
Michele Crawford, Assoc. AIA
Gustavo Diez Presilla, Assoc. AIA
Tasanee Durrett, Assoc. AIA
Johanna Forman, Assoc. AIA
Tiara Hughes, Assoc. AIA
Sandra Montalbo, Assoc. AIA
Ofunne Oganwu, Assoc. AIA
Three additional scholarships are also being donated this year by 2018 Pettigrew Scholarship recipient Tiffany Brown, Assoc. AIA. Brown’s scholarship will cover the cost of AREs for African American females who did not already receive an award this year through her organization 400 FORWARD, which aims to support the next generation of licensed women architects. Recipients of Brown’s award, include:
Tasheria Shorts, Assoc. AIA
Gloria Spellen, Assoc. AIA
Zandria Mims Tolliver, Assoc. AIA
“We’re astounded every year by the caliber of the applicants for this scholarship, and this year was no exception,” said Architects Foundation Board member and jury chair Bill Roschen, FAIA. “We very much appreciate Ms. Brown stepping in to provide additional help, which is a great testament to the strong alumni network of our Architects Foundation scholars.”
The Jason Pettigrew Memorial ARE Scholarship was established in 2004 by the AIA National Associates Committee, to honor the memory of their late friend and colleague, Jason Pettigrew, Associate AIA. The scholarship has been with the Architects Foundation since 2015.
Graduation reflections from Architects Foundation Scholars
Orli Hakanoglu 2018 Payette Sho-Ping Chin Memorial Scholar May 2019 Graduate, Yale University
It has been [a few months] since I graduated with my M-Arch degree from Yale, and have had a bit of time to relax and reflect on the past three incredible years. When I started school, I had no idea what world I was about to enter; all I knew was my own curiosity and eagerness to join a community that spoke my language. What I didn’t anticipate was the richness of this language, and that it had such a wealth of “dialects,” so to speak. I was introduced to countless angles of investigation that greatly expanded my understanding of the process of design. Anchoring me and my peers’ exploration was an understanding of history, context, and an essential reflexivity about the role of the profession itself. This multifaceted quality of inquiry was encouraged from all directions: students, faculty, visiting critics and jurors, members of the University, and the broader New Haven community.
The semester-long teaching fellowships I held were probably the highlight of my time at Yale, particularly those in which I was given a hands-on role as an instructor. I would have never imagined that my own knowledge of the subject could be so deepened through work with brilliant peers only a year or two my junior. The school’s encouragement of a richness of perspective and ways of seeing is likely its most powerful pedagogical tool, and I hope to cultivate the same open-mindedness within the communities I belong to in my post-graduate life. I am endlessly thankful to Payette and the Architects Foundation for their support in making this education possible for me. Having graduated, I am now ready to experience the aspects of the profession less dwelled-upon in the classroom, and am planning my next steps as an architect with optimism and excitement.
Vaughn Lewis 2014 Diversity Advancement Scholar, AF/McAslan Fellow May 2019 Graduate, The Cooper Union
My acceptance into The Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture at The Cooper Union in 2014 was an incredible opportunity which was both exciting and challenging. It came at a difficult time, a complex year in the 155-year history of the institution when there was a change in Cooper’s tuition policy. Because of this, my first studio Architectonics, led by David Gersten with Wes Rozen and Rikke Jørgensen, was the most formative during my education. In that semester my professors worked to create situations within which the students could inhabit questions and create new works that would embody the current moment in the life of the institution. Together with my classmates, we measured, drew and built a six-foot-high scaled model of the Foundation Building’s exterior, filled with each student’s interpretation of salient interior spaces. Speaking metaphorically, our professors placed the weight of the school in our hands, to care for the school in the most profound sense of “building it.” We built a model of The Cooper Union while acknowledging that The Cooper Union is itself a model of education. This approach was unlike anything I thought studying architecture would be and as a result of this experience, each studio thereafter became a social poetic act, a collection of gestures of ethics and imagination.
Throughout my studies, I committed myself to seek out programs which would provide me the foundation I needed to become a valuable member of any design team. Aside from my design studios and classes, it was extremely important to me that I supplemented my education with teaching. I learned about the school of architecture while I was in high school and attending a Cooper Union pre-college program called The Saturday Program. The program offered free studio art courses to New York City Public High School students and gave students individual advisement on applying to colleges along with preparing their art and architecture portfolios. It was because of this program that I gained the necessary skills I needed to create a competitive application for acceptance to The Cooper Union. So in my sophomore year, I became an instructor and taught a class each semester thereafter until I graduated. It was important for me to help give to others what was given to me because I fully understand that service is the price we
pay for the space we occupy.
I also received several prominent scholarships/grants and fellowships including: a grant from The National Science Foundation, 2018 William Cooper Mack Thesis Fellowship, 2017 Palmer Hayden Travel Fellowship and the 2015 AIA /AF Diversity Scholarship. These fellowships and organizations have provided me with a tremendous amount of financial and moral support. As a result of these opportunities, I was fortunate enough to travel to places like Mexico, Italy, Germany, Hong Kong, China, and Africa.
An integral aspect of architecture is its engagement with different cultures and communities around the world. Furthermore, I pursued architecture fully aware of the disparity between the total number of African American in the U.S. population and the percentage of licensed African-American architects.
However, I believe that without greater diversity in the architecture field, the profession threatens to limit its views, perspectives, and ideas. As we live in a multicultural society, it is my belief that the architecture profession should support professionals who reflect and represent the diverse communities they serve.
Jalen Price 2014 Diversity Advancement Scholar May 2019 Graduate, Drury University
My time in architecture school is one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences in my life. Going into this course of study, I had a base understanding of architecture. I was unaware of the depth at which architects and other design professions do impact society. Throughout my five years at Drury University, I grew as a person and largely as a designer. I was challenged to design in a variety of typologies and user groups. My designs ranged from a singular space to complexes, to a 25-year master plan. Outside of design, I solidified my commitment to using design to impact my community through the student organizations Art of Space and the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS). I was able to grow my leadership skills as a Residential Assistant for the university.
In addition to working part-time, keeping up with course requirements, and participating in various organizations, I am proud of receiving the following recognition during my time in architecture school: Three-time recipient of a scholarship from the AIA St. Louis Scholarship Fund; Community Award recipient from the Hammons School of Architecture; and Alpha Rho Chi Bronze Medal recipient from the Hammons School of Architecture. I completed two architecture internships. I was a Summer Intern with Grice Group Architects -St. Louis, MO in 2017. I completed a Spring internship with Agency Landscape and Planning – Cambridge, MA in 2019.
As I enter the professional world, I will begin with a position as an Architectural Designer with BRR Architecture in Kansas City, MO. I am excited to see where this opportunity takes me. I carry two pieces of advice as I begin this phase of my life. A professor once told me keep growing and refuse to become stagnant in my path as a designer and person. The second piece of advice came from a mentor who told to always seize opportunities from those who believe in me. The intersection of design and positive community impact I learned at Drury has sparked an interest in urban design; therefore, I plan to pursue an additional degree in the future.
2019 Architects Foundation Scholars Selected
Newly expanded scholarships recognize and support diverse future leaders of the profession in equity, historic preservation, risk management and sustainability
WASHINGTON – The Architects Foundation is continuing to support the future of the architecture profession by recognizing and supporting scholars through an ever-expanding scholarship and grant program offering. Programs listed below represent the latest recipients of the Architect’s Foundation scholarship and grant program.
Architects Foundation/McAslan Fellowship
The Architects Foundation is awarding the inaugural 2019 Architects Foundation/McAslan Fellowship to Cooper Union student Vaughn Lewis and University of Nebraska-Lincoln student Shayla Dick. The scholarship supports travel experiences for two top graduating students to engage with McAslan+Partners and the World Monuments Fund.
Diversity Advancement Scholarship The Architects Foundation is continuing to support diversity in the architecture profession by awarding its Diversity Advancement Scholarship to 10 students entering architecture school. Each of the students will receive $4,000 per year towards tuition for the next five years totaling $20,000 each. This year’s recipients are:
2019-2020 Payette Sho-Ping Chin Memorial Academic Scholarship The Architects Foundation is awarding the 2019-2020 Payette Sho-Ping Chin Memorial Academic Scholarship to Yale University student Michelle Badr. Badr will receive a $10,000 scholarship intended to support the education of women in architecture. She will also be mentored by an architect at Payette for the scholarship year. Badr is the fourth recipient of the scholarship, which honors late architect Sho-Ping Chin, FAIA, a long-time principal at Payette and a healthcare practice leader who was instrumental in defining and elevating the national discourse for women in design. Learn more about this year’s Payette Sho-Ping Chin Memorial Academic Scholarship.
Sho-Ping Chin Women’s Leadership Summit Grants The Architects Foundation is recognizing and supporting women in architecture with the Sho-Ping Chin Women’s Leadership Summit Grant. Specifically, the grant provides registration and travel to the 2019 AIA Women’s Leadership Summit for women in architecture moving into leadership roles in the profession. This year, the grant will fund eleven women to attend the summit, which is being held from September 12-14 in Minneapolis. This year’s recipients are:
2019-2020 a/e ProNet David W. Lakamp AIA Scholarship
The Architects Foundation is awarding the 2019-2020 a/e ProNet David W. Lakamp AIA Scholarship to Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) student Vardhan Mehta and Texas A&M University student Hassan Anifowose. Each will receive $5,000 to be used towards tuition for demonstrating a strong interest in practice and risk management. The scholarship honors David W. Lakamp, who was a founder of a/e ProNet and a trusted advisor to the profession of architecture.
Yann Weymouth Graduate Scholarship
The Architects Foundation is awarding the inaugural Yann Weymouth Graduate Scholarship to Cornell University student Laura Stargala. Stargala will receive a $5,000 scholarship towards tuition for demonstrating an exemplary work focus at design that includes sustainability, resilience, wellness and beauty.
Architects Foundation Announces 2018 Jason Pettigrew Memorial ARE Scholarship Recipients
Scholarship recipients receive funds and study materials for the Architectural Registration Examination.
WASHINGTON – The Architects Foundation has selected ten recipients of the 2018 Jason Pettigrew Memorial ARE Scholarship.
The Jason Pettigrew Memorial ARE Scholarship recognizes the significant contributions of emerging professionals at early stages in their careers and helps defray the costs associated with the Architect Registration Examination (ARE). The scholarship recipients will receive funds to cover all sections of the Architectural Registration Examination, as well as study materials from Brightwood College.
“The Jason Pettigrew Memorial ARE Scholarship recognizes the exceptional efforts of individuals in the community who are also seeking architectural licensure” said Pettigrew Scholarship Jury Chair William Roschen, FAIA. “We are excited to be able to support these emerging professionals in recognition of their accomplishments.”
Each year, the jury selects up to ten recipients for the award. This year’s scholars are:
Jose Barajas, Assoc. AIA (Spokane, WA)
Geraldene Blackgoat, Assoc. AIA (Albuquerque, NM)
Maya Bird-Murphy, Assoc. AIA (Chicago, IL)
Tiffany Brown, Assoc. AIA (Detroit, MI)
Denise Everson, Assoc. AIA (Washington, DC)
Sergio Legon-Talamoni, Assoc. AIA (Seattle, WA)
Isela Martinez, Assoc. AIA (Hampstead, NC)
Deborah Perez, Assoc. AIA (Bajadero, PR)
Robyn Savacool, Assoc. AIA (Hamilton, NJ)
Sarah Young, Assoc. AIA (Lafayette, LA)
The Jason Pettigrew Memorial ARE Scholarship was established in 2004 by the AIA National Associates Committee, to honor the memory of their late friend and colleague, Jason Pettigrew, Associate AIA. The scholarship has been with the Architects Foundation since 2015.
Architects Foundation Supports Women in Architecture with Payette Sho-Ping Chin Memorial Academic Scholarship
Scholarship honors architect Sho-Ping Chin, impactful mentor and champion of equity in architecture.
WASHINGTON – The Architects Foundation announces architecture student Orli Hakanoglu as the 2018-2019 recipient of the Payette Sho-Ping Chin Memorial Academic Scholarship, which is an annual $10,000 grant intended to support the education of women in architecture.
“The opportunity to recognize Orli and honor Sho-Ping through this scholarship elevates the entire profession,” said Architects Foundation Executive Director Marci Reed, CFRE, MPA. “Sho-Ping’s legacy is thriving and Orli’s passion for architecture is proof.”
Hakanoglu is the third recipient of the Payette Sho-Ping Chin Memorial Academic Scholarship, which honors the late architect Sho-Ping Chin, FAIA, a long-time principal at Payette and a health-care practice leader who was instrumental in defining and elevating the national discourse for women in design.
“We started this scholarship to honor Sho-Ping’s memory and it is such a privilege each year to meet outstanding students of whom Sho-Ping would have been proud to have known,” said Payette President Kevin B. Sullivan, FAIA. “After reading Orli’s essay and reviewing her portfolio, I knew the jury had selected an ideal candidate. Her commitment to serving socially-conscious design is well aligned with Sho-Ping’s values and approach to architecture. We look forward to supporting Orli as she launches her architecture career.”
Born and raised in New York, Hakanoglu is a third-year student working towards her Master’s degree (anticipated May 2019) at the Yale School of Architecture. Prior to her time at Yale, Hakanoglu studied studio art, art history, and architecture at Wellesley College, where she supplemented her coursework with architecture studio courses at the MIT School of Architecture + Planning through the Wellesley-MIT exchange program. Hakanoglu is passionate about how architecture, art, and design can play a role in promoting equality across a range of societies and cultures. Additionally, she is interested in strengthening diversity and inclusivity within the professional and educational fields of architecture. Hakanoglu has worked at Architizer, the Yale University Art Gallery, and is currently working as a summer intern at Deborah Berke Partners. In her free time she enjoys painting, urban sketching, and exploring New York. Hakanoglu is the third recipient of this first scholarship offered through the Architects Foundation.
Applications for the 2019-2020 Payette Sho-Ping Chin Memorial Academic Scholarship will open in the fall of 2018. Qualified students—with at least two years of undergraduate or any level of graduate study—are encouraged to apply.
The Architects Foundation was created to celebrate architecture’s value by advancing tomorrow’s design leaders and preserving architectural treasures of the past. Through its scholarship programs, the Foundation aims to attract and cultivate a diverse next generation of architects, and provide new opportunities to support the evolution of the profession. The Architects Foundation also preserves the historic Octagon building in the nation’s capital, seeking ways to best express the values of historic preservation work and keep the Octagon’s legacy alive with exhibits, educational programs and partnerships. For more information, visit the Architects Foundation website.
About Payette
Payette is a leading architectural design firm in Boston, MA. They are a design collective driven to create boldly original buildings for science and healthcare that are as profoundly humane in their accommodation of needs as they are pioneering in their pursuit of environmental performance. For more than three quarters of a century, Payette has practiced innovation in these highly technical buildings while developing a culture based on deep readings of program as one of the essential subtexts of architecture. This thorough understanding of how hospitals and laboratories work has helped clients transcend function to transform places and improve people’s lives. For more information, please visit www.payette.com.
Architects Foundation Quadruples its Diversity Advancement Scholarships
Scholarship expansion provides financial support to 20 students enrolling in architecture studies.
Washington – The Architects Foundation is awarding 20 new multiyear scholarships to students attending NAAB-accredited schools of architecture, quadrupling the number of scholarships made in 2017.
The Foundation–the philanthropic partner of the American Institute of Architects (AIA)—is also more than doubling the number of students currently assisted by its multiyear scholarship program with a $1 million investment from the AIA. As part of the Foundation’s program, scholars receive $4,000 per year for up to five years.
Two of the new 20 scholars are funded by Benjamin Moore & Co. Foundation and will receive an additional $1,000 per year. The AIA Custom Residential Architects Network also funded a scholar this year who has expressed interest in residential architecture. Recipients of the 2018-2019 Diversity Advancement Scholarships will be recognized at the AIA Conference on Architecture (A’18) in New York City.
“The Diversity Advancement Scholarship was established by the AIA and the Ford Foundation following a 1968 speech by Whitney M. Young Jr. calling upon architects to do more for the community. Young’s charge included scholarships for minority students, and in 1970, 20 awards were made,” said Marci Reed, Executive Director of the Architects Foundation. “Fifty years after Young’s challenge, we are pleased to be back at this impressive level of effort to create a diverse next generation of architects and community builders.”
Eight scholarship recipients, including new scholars Maly Sears and Caroline Senyszyn, will attend A’18 this week, which was made possible in part by Benjamin Moore & Co. Foundation, ConstructConnect, Cooper Carry, and Lord Aeck Sargent.
The 2018-2019 Diversity Advancement Scholarship recipients are:
Esmeralda Aceituno of Los Angeles, CA
Daniel Allen of Chicago, IL
Elizabeth Amigon of Sunnyside, NY
Annabelle Asali of Los Angeles, CA
Shanelle Brown of Fairhope, AL
Nina Crosby Walton of Frederick, MD
Andrea De Haro of Doral, FL
Genesis Gadberry of San Angelo, TX
Isabella Greco of Chicago, IL
Joya Ma of Phoenix, AZ
Lauren McLean of Mount Vernon, NY
Hana Morrison of Honolulu, HI (scholar funded by AIA Custom Residential Architects Network)
Amy Rojas of San Antonio, TX
Sarah Saad of East Elmhurt, NY
Maly Sears of Adrian, MO (scholar funded by Benjamin Moore & Co. Foundation)
Caroline Senyszyn of Fort Worth, TX (scholar funded by Benjamin Moore & Co. Foundation)
Luiza Vara of Phoenix, AZ
Ania Yee-Boguinskaia of Houston, TX
Nahom Zeleke of Columbia, AL
Carolina Zuniga of Doral, FL
Benjamin Moore & Co. Foundation & Architects Foundation announce 2018-2019 Diversity Advancement Scholarship recipients
Paint company’s foundation gives $50,000 in scholarships to two aspiring architects
Washington, DC – May 8, 2018 – Benjamin Moore & Co. Foundation, in partnership with the Architects Foundation, is announcing recipients of its 2018-2019 Diversity Advancement Scholarship, which provides assistance to minority students who are pursuing a professional architecture degree recognized by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB).
“We are proud to continue to support scholarship programs such as the Architects Foundation’s Diversity Advancement Scholarship and assist and encourage students who are pursuing careers in the architecture and interior design fields,” said Mike Searles, CEO of Benjamin Moore & Co. and Chairman of the Benjamin Moore & Co. Foundation. “We congratulate Caroline Senyszyn of Fort Worth, Texas and Maly Searsof Adrian, Missourion earning the 2018-2019 Diversity Advancement Scholarships and look forward to seeing how the next generation of architects shapes the industry.”
As part of the scholarship, Senyszyn and Sears will each receive $5,000 annually for five years and will have the opportunity to attend the AIA Conference on Architecture 2018 in New York City this June.
“Thanks to Benjamin Moore & Co. Foundation, we are able to provide the top two Diversity Advancement Scholarship recipients with additional funding and opportunities to travel to AIA’s annual conference,” said Marci Reed, Executive Director of the Architects Foundation. “We are truly grateful to Benjamin Moore & Co. Foundation for their support of minority students aspiring to become architects.”
Over the past three years, Benjamin Moore Foundation has been committed to supporting the architecture and design fields, which has included donating $150,000 to support aspiring architects through the Diversity Advancement Scholarship program.
Each year, the program selects two candidates, which must be either high school seniors and transfer students planning to attend architecture school , or first-year college students currently enrolled in a NAAB-accredited architecture program. In order to enroll, qualified candidates must submit two examples of their creative work, a high school transcript, a personal essay, and two letters of recommendation, among other requirements.
Complete details on the Diversity Advancement Scholarship program are available on the Architects Foundation website.
About Benjamin Moore & Co. Benjamin Moore & Co., a Berkshire Hathaway company, was founded in 1883. One of North America’s leading manufacturers of premium quality residential, commercial and industrial maintenance coatings, Benjamin Moore & Co. maintains a relentless commitment to innovation and sustainable manufacturing practices. The Benjamin Moore premium portfolio spans the brand’s flagship paint lines including Aura®, Regal® Select, CENTURY®, Ultra Spec®, Natura® and ben®. The Benjamin Moore & Co. Family of Brands includes specialty and architectural paints from Coronado®, Lenmar® and Insl-x®. Benjamin Moore & Co. coatings are available primarily from its more than 5,000 locally owned and operated paint and decorating retailers.
Charitable Giving at Benjamin Moore & Co. Benjamin Moore and the Benjamin Moore & Co. Foundation are committed to enhancing North American communities. Through in-kind and financial donations, Benjamin Moore & the Benjamin Moore & Co. Foundation are able to support numerous national and regional nonprofits that embody their giving mission including AIA Architects Foundation, Gary Sinise Foundation, National Trust for Historic Preservation, The Mission Continues and YouthBuild® USA, among others. Additionally, teams of Benjamin Moore employee volunteers give thousands of hours each year to charities across North America.
About The Architects Foundation The Architects Foundation was created to celebrate architecture’s value by advancing tomorrow’s design leaders and preserving architectural treasures of the past. Through its scholarship programs, the Foundation aims to attract and cultivate a diverse next generation of architects, and provide new opportunities to support the evolution of the profession. The Architects Foundation also preserves the historic Octagon building in the nation’s capital, seeking ways to best express the values of historic preservation work and keep the Octagon’s legacy alive with exhibits, educational programs and partnerships. For more information, visit the Architects Foundation website.
About The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Founded in 1857, AIA consistently works to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings, neighborhoods, and communities. Through more than 200 international, state, and local chapters, AIA advocates for public policies that promote economic vitality and public wellbeing. Members adhere to a code of ethics and conduct to ensure the highest professional standards. AIA provides members with tools and resources to assist them in their careers and business. In addition, the Institute engages civic and government leaders and the public to find solutions to pressing issues facing our communities, institutions, nation, and world.
Marika Dalley Snider, PhD, AIA
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