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Have You Joined AIAS?

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Hi! My name is Mia Larkin and I am a rising senior at the University of Pittsburgh studying architecture with a minor in museum studies. I am also the social media chair of my university’s AIAS chapter. I joined AIAS to be closer to my classmates and to have a sense of community; learning from other students as they share their expertise in different software and applying what I learn to my projects and internship. 

The American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) is an international, independent, non-profit, and student-run organization committed to developing leadership, design, and service among students in architecture. AIAS plays a vital role in providing invaluable experiences in architecture education and professional development for architecture students across the world. AIAS chapters provide members with advocacy, education, and internship opportunities. (Check out if your university offers an AIAS chapter!)

 

Having an AIAS chapter present on college campuses allows students to meet people within their major. Outside of an academic setting, there are advantages that AIAS provides to students including interacting with professionals, networking with them, and visualizing what it means to be in the working field. “I think joining AIAS presents the unique opportunity for young people to engage pre-professionally in the world of architecture in a way that is with people of similar ages and interests,” says Kiran Nwakanma, a fellow student at the University of Pittsburgh. “It’s really a community-oriented approach to getting involved with the design field.” 

Emerging as a working individual, getting your foot in the door can feel scary. There is so much uncertainty when you are in college, figuring out what you want to do for the rest of your life, or if you are even on the right path. AIAS offers me experiences I wouldn’t have known about if I didn’t join. “[The] main benefits [are] to be able to gain valuable insight on how lessons in your undergraduate career will transfer to the workforce and to be able to gain mentorship through other students, alumni, professors, and practicing architects,” says Priya Sahu, a rising senior at the University of Pittsburgh. 

 

While you’re still in college, it is valuable to know what experiences you can take away from the classroom since they can transfer to your career. Personally, through AIAS, I have visited firms and heard professionals talk about their jobs. I believe the skills I have learned as a member of AIAS have taught me the skills that I am expected to do in my professional career. 

 

I joined AIAS during my sophomore year to connect with other students in architecture and possibly have a chance for a leadership position. At first, I attended events, firm crawls, and portfolio reviews and tried to get involved as much as I could. Junior year came and I decided to run for a board position. I chose to run for social media chair since it aligns with previous leadership positions I held on campus, and I won! Since it’s summertime, I haven’t got the chance to do my role but I have plans for what I want to do while on board. One of my ideas was to release the AIAS Pitt merch since we don’t have any, and it would be great to see hoodies and stickers around campus to distinguish people who are in AIAS and create a sense of community outside of AIAS. Another idea is to interact more with members through Instagram stories, posting on a consistent schedule, and possibly event planning with the AIAS board. Lastly, I want to listen to feedback from the community and what they would like to see me do.

AIAS promotes excellence in education by fostering community and creating a network between students, faculty, and professionals by hosting events, firm crawls, and connecting students with resources. Joining your AIAS chapter is also a great way to expand your leadership experience. To check out more information, visit the AIAS National website and social media! 

 

P.S. Click here to see if your university offers an AIAS chapter!

 

(All images are courtesy of the AIAS – University of Pittsburgh Chapter via Mia Larkin)

2023 List of Scholarships and Career Resources for Underrepresented Students

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In our pursuit of a more equitable profession, we are providing a list of resources for prospective students of color. It is our hope that the list of resources below will help students of color who aspire to become architects find networks and opportunities that help them to achieve their goals.

The following list is not all-inclusive, so if you would like for us to add others, please do not hesitate to contact us to add them.

Fellowships and Scholarships

 

American Indian Science and Engineering Society Scholarships

The American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) helps students move forward in their educational journeys by providing a wide range of programs and scholarship opportunities for American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Indigenous peoples of Canada. To apply, you must be an AISES member.

Deadline to Apply:  Varies by Scholarship

AIA Chicago Foundation Diversity Scholarship

AIA Chicago Foundation Diversity Scholarship Initiative, managed by the AIA Chicago Foundation, is an opportunity to attract and retain diverse, talented young professionals in Chicago and recognizes the value of new and unique voices in the profession. One $10,000 graduate scholarship and one $10,000 undergraduate scholarship are awarded each year.

Applications accepted through May 12, 2023

American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS)

AIAS has a great list of scholarships and fellowship opportunities for students.

Deadline to Apply:  Varies by Scholarship

American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) Worldstudio Scholarships

AIGA Worldstudio Scholarships benefit minority and economically disadvantaged students who are studying photography, illustration, and design disciplines in colleges and universities in the United States. Scholarships are awarded annually to encourage social and environmental responsibility and cultural awareness in the next generation of artists and designers.

Deadline to Apply:  April 7, 2023

Association for Women in Architecture Scholarship

The Association for Women in Architecture Foundation offers annual cash awards to women students studying Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban and/or Land Planning, Interior Design, or Environmental Design leading to a college degree.

Applicants must be residents of California or attending a California school, and must be enrolled in one of the qualifying majors for the current school term. Applicants must have completed a minimum of 18 units in their major by the application due date.

Deadline to Apply: April 25, 2023

CBC Spouses Visual Arts Scholarship

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Spouses Visual Arts Scholarship was established to provide financial assistance to African-American or Black students who are pursuing a degree in the visual arts. 

This award is for full-time African-American or Black students pursuing a degree in visual arts including, but not limited to, architecture, ceramics, drawing, fashion, graphic design, illustration, interior design, painting, photography, sketching, video production and other decorative arts.

Deadline to Apply: April 14, 2023

CINTAS Foundation Fellowship in Architecture & Design

Candidates in the fields of architectural design, interior design, urban design and urban planning may submit applications for the CINTAS Foundation Fellowship in Architecture. For the purpose of historical value and documentation, architectural award recipients are encouraged to submit architectural drawings (i.e., representative samples of their work) to be added to the CINTAS Fellows Collection after the grant period. To be eligible, applicants must have either Cuban citizenship or direct lineage. 

Eligibility for this fellowship: Creative artists of Cuban citizenship or direct lineage (having a Cuban parent or grandparent). Applicants engaged in research, students, or performing artists are not eligible to apply for CINTAS Fellowships. 

Deadline to Apply: May 1, 2023

College Raptor Scholarship

To help students take a thoughtful approach to the college decision process and pay for college, College Raptor is awarding a $2,500 scholarship.

For eligibility, applicants must:

  • Be legal residents of the United States, District of Columbia, or a U.S. Territory.
  • Be age 16 or older.
  • Be enrolled (or enroll no later than the fall of 2023) in an accredited post-secondary institution of higher learning (college, university or trade school).

Deadline to Apply: March 31, 2023

Fontana Transport Inc. Scholars Program

The Fontana Transport Inc. Scholars Program is open to underrepresented, low-income and first-generation college-bound students. Students must be pursuing an undergraduate degree full-time in transportation, math, science, engineering, architecture, environmental design, PreMed, psychology, Spanish language/literature. The applicant does not have to be a U.S. citizen but must have a minimum 3.5 GPA and proof of attending college beginning in the fall semester. Recommendation by a faculty member is optional but highly suggested.

Deadline to Apply: March 14, 2023

Hip Hop Architecture Scholarship Fund

Michael Ford’s $10,000 Hip Hop Architecture Scholarship awards $2,500 per year for four years, totaling $10,000 to a minority high school senior who accepted into a 4 year college or university to study architecture. Recipients will be contacted to reapply for the scholarship when entering graduate school.

Deadline to Apply: April 14, 2023

Houzz Scholarship Program

Houzz offers four different architecture scholarships—Women in Architecture, Residential Design, Sustainable Residential Design, and Residential Construction Management—each for $2,500. Scholarships are open to current undergraduate or graduate students enrolled in interior design, architecture, landscape architecture, architectural engineering, or construction management programs.

Deadline to Apply: March 31, 2023

SmithGroup Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Scholarship Program

We have created the SmithGroup Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Scholarship Program to support and mentor students from historically underrepresented demographics in architecture, interior design, planning, landscape architecture and engineering.  The program’s mission is to provide these students with the opportunity to attain their professional goals while advancing the architecture/engineering/construction (AEC) industry and improving the built environment.

Deadline to Apply: October 30, 2023

Networks and Organizations

400 FORWARD

Launched in 2017 when the 400th living African American woman achieved licensure, 400 Forward aims to boost the next generation of African American women architects—who currently make up only 0.2 percent of all licensed architects—through exposure to architecture, mentorship, and financial assistance

ArchiteXX

A non-profit organization for Gender Equity in architecture transforming the profession by bridging the academy and practice. We are a Cross-Generational group of academics and practitioners, and our organization is dedicated to the advancement of all women-identified, non-binary, gender non-conforming, and allied individuals.

Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation.

The Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation (BWAF) is an advocacy group committed to changing the culture of the building industry for women working in architecture, landscape, engineering, and construction—market sectors where only about 17 percent of the leaders are women. Founded in 2002 by Willis, a pioneering woman in the field, the New York-based nonprofit advances the recognition of women’s contributions to architecture through grants and research and supports current professionals and students through educational and social initiatives.

Black Females in Architecture

Black Females in Architecture (BFA) is a network and enterprise founded to increase the visibility of black and black mixed heritage females within the architectural industry and other built environment fields. In so doing, BFA actively addresses issues of inequality and diversity within the industry

BFA supports its growing membership through the provision of a support network within which members benefit from shared knowledge, advice, guidance, access to the personal networks of fellow members, job opportunities, and much more.

Black Interior Designers Network

The Black Interior Designers Network’s mission is to promote diversity and inclusion within the interior design industry by highlighting designers of color and supporting black designers with business development opportunities and resources to help Black designers thrive.

Female Design Council

With the mission of establishing a strong support network for female and female-identifying design professionals—through events, exhibitions, discussions, programming, business development opportunities, and community outreach with industry partners.

National Organization of Minority Architects

Founded in 1971 by 12 African-American architects, who met at the national AIA Convention in Detroit that year and recognized the need to help foster the development of minority architects, NOMA showcases the work of Black architects through its publications and conferences. This national group relies on the strength of its local chapters for advocacy, community outreach, and professional development.

Organization of Black Designers

The Organization of Black Designers is a national professional organization of interior, industrial/product, architectural, fashion, UX, UI and graphic designers dedicated to promoting the visibility, empowerment, education and interaction of its membership and the understanding and value that diverse design perspectives contribute to world culture and commerce.

The Designer’s Workshop

Associate interior designer at Rockwell Group Kamille Glenn founded the Designer’s Workshop as a collective to unite people of color in any 3D-design disciplines, including architecture and design, and to shine a light on this underrepresented population through connectivity and collaboration.

 

Resources 

Best Colleges
Many organizations and schools offer college scholarships for Black and African American students. Learn about the top scholarships for these learners.

Financial Aid, Scholarships, and Resources for African American Students

This resource is for African American Students, and it details information about different types of financial assistance available to African American students, including historically Black university scholarships, field-specific scholarships, and scholarships for women.

College Scholarships For Minorities

Student-Specific Scholarships support individual groups of college students like women and minorities.

45+ College Scholarships for Minority Students

Published by Purdue University Global, this resource shares 45+ financial aid scholarships for future and current students as well as potential graduate students to supplement the cost of education or professional development endeavors. Information on where to find scholarships and grants is supplied. Also highlighted within the resource are opportunities dedicated to specific demographics such as African Americans, Asian Americans, Latino Students, Native Americans, and much more. The featured scholarships are current and are provided by trusted organizations. The resource will constantly be updated to ensure students can apply to the most accurate scholarships available.

Contact us at info@acsa-arch.org to add your Scholarship, Organization, or Resource for Underrepresented students to this page. 

2022 List of Scholarships and Career Resources for Underrepresented Students

/in /by

In our pursuit of a more equitable profession, we are providing a list of resources for prospective students of color. It is our hope that the list of resources below will help students of color who aspire to become architects find networks and opportunities that help them to achieve their goals.

The following list is not all-inclusive, so if you would like for us to add others, please do not hesitate to contact us to add them.

Fellowships and Scholarships

 

American Indian Science and Engineering Society Scholarships

The American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) helps students move forward in their educational journeys by providing a wide range of programs and scholarship opportunities for American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Indigenous peoples of Canada. To apply, you must be an AISES member.

Deadline to Apply:  Varies by Scholarship

AIA Chicago Foundation Diversity Scholarship

AIA Chicago Foundation Diversity Scholarship Initiative, managed by the AIA Chicago Foundation, is an opportunity to attract and retain diverse, talented young professionals in Chicago and recognizes the value of new and unique voices in the profession. One $10,000 graduate scholarship and one $10,000 undergraduate scholarship are awarded each year.

Applications accepted through May 3, 2022

American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS)

AIAS has a great list of scholarships and fellowship opportunities for students.

Deadline to Apply:  Varies by Scholarship

American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) Worldstudio Scholarships

AIGA Worldstudio Scholarships benefit minority and economically disadvantaged students who are studying photography, illustration, and design disciplines in colleges and universities in the United States. Scholarships are awarded annually to encourage social and environmental responsibility and cultural awareness in the next generation of artists and designers.

Deadline to Apply:  Varies by Scholarship

Architects Foundation – The Diversity Advancement Scholarship

This scholarship—$4,000 per year and up to $20,000 total—supports undergraduate minority students who are entering, enrolled in, or transferring into a NAAB-accredited undergraduate architecture program. Scholarships may be renewed every year until your degree is completed, for up to 5 years.

We’re looking for minority students whose imagination and design thinking will influence the future of the architecture profession and the built environment.

Applications for the 2023 awards will open in November 2022.

Association for Women in Architecture Scholarship

The Association for Women in Architecture Foundation offers annual cash awards to women students studying Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban and/or Land Planning, Interior Design, or Environmental Design leading to a college degree.

Applicants must be residents of California or attending a California school, and must be enrolled in one of the qualifying majors for the current school term. Applicants must have completed a minimum of 18 units in their major by the application due date.

Deadline to Apply: April 25, 2022

CBC Spouses Visual Arts Scholarship

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Spouses Visual Arts Scholarship was established to provide financial assistance to African-American or Black students who are pursuing a degree in the visual arts. 

This award is for full-time African-American or Black students pursuing a degree in visual arts including, but not limited to, architecture, ceramics, drawing, fashion, graphic design, illustration, interior design, painting, photography, sketching, video production and other decorative arts.

Deadline to Apply: April 30, 2022

CINTAS Foundation Fellowship in Architecture & Design

Candidates in the fields of architectural design, interior design, urban design and urban planning may submit applications for the CINTAS Foundation Fellowship in Architecture. For the purpose of historical value and documentation, architectural award recipients are encouraged to submit architectural drawings (i.e., representative samples of their work) to be added to the CINTAS Fellows Collection after the grant period. To be eligible, applicants must have either Cuban citizenship or direct lineage. 

Eligibility for this fellowship: Creative artists of Cuban citizenship or direct lineage (having a Cuban parent or grandparent). Applicants engaged in research, students, or performing artists are not eligible to apply for CINTAS Fellowships. 

Deadline to Apply: May 1, 2022

College Raptor Scholarship

To help students take a thoughtful approach to the college decision process and pay for college, College Raptor is awarding a $2,500 scholarship.

For eligibility, applicants must:

  • Be legal residents of the United States, District of Columbia, or a U.S. Territory.
  • Be age 16 or older.
  • Be enrolled (or enroll no later than the fall of 2023) in an accredited post-secondary institution of higher learning (college, university or trade school).

Deadline to Apply: March 31, 2022

FORAship

At FORA we believe one of the most important contributions we can make to our profession is an equitable and diverse practice that promotes belonging. Improving representation in architecture won’t happen through passive means; underrepresented minority students deserve robust, active, and sustained support. We created the FORAship to do just that, by combining a substantial financial scholarship with a year-long internship program that may be renewed throughout a student’s academic journey.

Deadline to Apply: April 15, 2022

Fontana Transport Inc. Scholars Program

The Fontana Transport Inc. Scholars Program is open to underrepresented, low-income and first-generation college-bound students. Students must be pursuing an undergraduate degree full-time in transportation, math, science, engineering, architecture, environmental design, PreMed, psychology, Spanish language/literature. The applicant does not have to be a U.S. citizen but must have a minimum 3.5 GPA and proof of attending college beginning in the fall semester. Recommendation by a faculty member is optional but highly suggested.

Deadline to Apply: March 14, 2022

Gensler Diversity Scholarship

Gensler offers two U.S. scholarships annually, including the Diversity Scholarship, which awards African-American students enrolled in a U.S. not-for-profit educational institution beginning their final year of a NAAB-accredited architecture program. Recipients will win academic scholarships as well as summer internship opportunities.

The Scholarships open in October and close in January of the following year.

HEEF Architecture and Engineering Scholarship

The Orange County (OC) Hispanic Educational Endowment Fund (HEEF) serves US Citizens, Permanent Residents, and Dream Act/ AB 540 students who live in Orange County, California only. HEEF offers competitive academic scholarships for OC high school and community college transfers who qualify for need-based financial aid and who enroll at a 4-year college or university.

This scholarship is open to Orange County-based Latino/a high school students who have been accepted or are returning to an accredited post-secondary educational program majoring in architecture or engineering and who have a minimum 3.0 GPA. 

Deadline to Apply: The Scholarships Application is open from October through December each year.

Hispanic Scholarship Fund

The HSF Scholarship is offered to students by the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. Founded in 1975, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund was created in order to empower Latino families with the information and resources that they need in order to earn a higher education. The HSF Scholarship does not require students to choose a particular major or graduate field to be eligible for the money, however, it does place emphasis on STEM majors.

Deadline to Apply:  Varies by Scholarship

Houzz Scholarship Program

Houzz offers four different architecture scholarships—Women in Architecture, Residential Design, Sustainable Residential Design, and Residential Construction Management—each for $2,500. Scholarships are open to current undergraduate or graduate students enrolled in interior design, architecture, landscape architecture, architectural engineering, or construction management programs.

Deadline to Apply: March 31, 2022

 IA Interior Architects Diversity in Design Scholarship

In partnership with the IIDA Foundation, the IA Interior Architects Diversity in Design Scholarship seeks to recognize that creating a diverse design community is paramount in making the world of design a more inclusive and innovative place. This scholarship is open to graduate and undergraduate students worldwide. There will be one $5,000 scholarship, one $3,000 scholarship and four $500 scholarships awarded.

Deadline to Apply: To Be Announced

John J. Nelson Sr. Legacy Scholarship

The John J. Nelson Sr. Legacy Scholarship Fund was created to benefit and further the study of interior design and architecture by students of African American descent. The scholarship fund is administered through the IIDA Foundation.

Deadline to Apply: To Be Announced

Landscape Architecture Foundation EDSA Minority Scholarship

The EDSA Minority Scholarship was established to help African American, Hispanic, Native American and minority students of other cultural and ethnic backgrounds continue their landscape architecture education. Eligible candidates are in their final two years of undergraduate study or pursuing a graduate degree in landscape architecture. Recipients are awarded $5,000.

Deadline to Apply: February 1, 2022

Mildred Colodny Diversity Scholarship

The Mildred Colodny Diversity Scholarship program provides financial assistance and experiential learning opportunities to individuals preparing for careers in historic preservation.  The purpose of the Colodny Scholarship is to increase the diversity of people pursuing degrees and careers in historic preservation in the United States.  The National Trust is seeking culturally diverse applicants whose commitment to historic preservation will be strengthened by obtaining a graduate degree in preservation, who will benefit from the internship and mentorship opportunities provided by the Trust, and who ultimately will contribute valuable, diverse perspectives to — and become leaders in — the field of preservation.

The National Trust defines diversity as inclusive, embracing people of all races, creeds, genders, ages, sexual orientations, religions, physical characteristics and abilities, veteran status, and economic or social backgrounds.  It also encompasses historic places, communities and geographical areas that represent the full range of unique characteristics, experiences, and cultures.

Awarded up to $15,000 towards graduate school tuition; a paid summer internship with the National Trust following the student’s first year of study; and support of the student’s attendance at a National Preservation Conference or other National Trust training opportunity. One scholarship package per year will be awarded.

Deadline to Apply: February 28, 2022.

National Action Council for Minority Engineers Scholarships

To be eligible to be named for any of the NACME administered scholarships students must either be a high school senior applying to an engineering or computer science program at a NACME Partner Institution, or be currently matriculating in an engineering or computer science program at a NACME Partner Institution, a US citizen or permanent resident, and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. NACME’s mission is to increase the representation of Black/African American, Latinx/Hispanic-American, and Native/American Indian in the fields of engineering and computer science.

Deadline to Apply:  Varies by Scholarship

OHA Native Hawaiian Scholarships

The UH-OHA Hoʻonaʻauao Higher Education Scholarship Program helps fund tuition and fees for Native Hawaiian students pursuing an undergraduate degree or vocational education certificate at any of the 10 campuses within the University of Hawaiʻi System. The program will provide scholarship recipients with advising and mentoring, professional and leadership development, and cultural-based workshops.

Deadline to Apply: March 1, 2022

Payette Sho-Ping Chin Memorial Academic Scholarship

The partners at Payette established this annual memorial scholarship to honor their friend, colleague and fellow partner, Sho-Ping Chin FAIA. This scholarship fund, developed in collaboration with the American Institute of Architects Foundation, will award a scholarship of $10,000 each year to a woman for the study of architecture.

Eligibility to third- and fourth-year women architecture students in a NAAB- accredited undergraduate degree program, as well as women in any level of graduate study in a NAAB-accredited program. 

Deadline to Apply:  Varies by Year

SmithGroup Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Scholarship Program

We have created the SmithGroup Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Scholarship Program to support and mentor students from historically underrepresented demographics in architecture, interior design, planning, landscape architecture and engineering.  The program’s mission is to provide these students with the opportunity to attain their professional goals while advancing the architecture/engineering/construction (AEC) industry and improving the built environment.

Deadline to Apply: October 30, 2022

Networks and Organizations

400 FORWARD

Launched in 2017 when the 400th living African American woman achieved licensure, 400 Forward aims to boost the next generation of African American women architects—who currently make up only 0.2 percent of all licensed architects—through exposure to architecture, mentorship, and financial assistance

ArchiteXX

A non-profit organization for Gender Equity in architecture transforming the profession by bridging the academy and practice. We are a Cross-Generational group of academics and practitioners, and our organization is dedicated to the advancement of all women-identified, non-binary, gender non-conforming, and allied individuals.

Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation.

The Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation (BWAF) is an advocacy group committed to changing the culture of the building industry for women working in architecture, landscape, engineering, and construction—market sectors where only about 17 percent of the leaders are women. Founded in 2002 by Willis, a pioneering woman in the field, the New York-based nonprofit advances the recognition of women’s contributions to architecture through grants and research and supports current professionals and students through educational and social initiatives.

Black Females in Architecture

Black Females in Architecture (BFA) is a network and enterprise founded to increase the visibility of black and black mixed heritage females within the architectural industry and other built environment fields. In so doing, BFA actively addresses issues of inequality and diversity within the industry

BFA supports its growing membership through the provision of a support network within which members benefit from shared knowledge, advice, guidance, access to the personal networks of fellow members, job opportunities, and much more.

Black Interior Designers Network

The Black Interior Designers Network’s mission is to promote diversity and inclusion within the interior design industry by highlighting designers of color and supporting black designers with business development opportunities and resources to help Black designers thrive.

Female Design Council

With the mission of establishing a strong support network for female and female-identifying design professionals—through events, exhibitions, discussions, programming, business development opportunities, and community outreach with industry partners.

National Organization of Minority Architects

Founded in 1971 by 12 African-American architects, who met at the national AIA Convention in Detroit that year and recognized the need to help foster the development of minority architects, NOMA showcases the work of Black architects through its publications and conferences. This national group relies on the strength of its local chapters for advocacy, community outreach, and professional development.

Organization of Black Designers

The Organization of Black Designers is a national professional organization of interior, industrial/product, architectural, fashion, UX, UI and graphic designers dedicated to promoting the visibility, empowerment, education and interaction of its membership and the understanding and value that diverse design perspectives contribute to world culture and commerce.

The Designer’s Workshop

Associate interior designer at Rockwell Group Kamille Glenn founded the Designer’s Workshop as a collective to unite people of color in any 3D-design disciplines, including architecture and design, and to shine a light on this underrepresented population through connectivity and collaboration.

 

Resources 

Best Colleges
Many organizations and schools offer college scholarships for Black and African American students. Learn about the top scholarships for these learners.

Financial Aid, Scholarships, and Resources for African American Students

This resource is for African American Students, and it details information about different types of financial assistance available to African American students, including historically Black university scholarships, field-specific scholarships, and scholarships for women.

College Scholarships For Minorities

Student-Specific Scholarships support individual groups of college students like women and minorities.

45+ College Scholarships for Minority Students

Published by Purdue University Global, this resource shares 45+ financial aid scholarships for future and current students as well as potential graduate students to supplement the cost of education or professional development endeavors. Information on where to find scholarships and grants is supplied. Also highlighted within the resource are opportunities dedicated to specific demographics such as African Americans, Asian Americans, Latino Students, Native Americans, and much more. The featured scholarships are current and are provided by trusted organizations. The resource will constantly be updated to ensure students can apply to the most accurate scholarships available.

Contact us at info@acsa-arch.org to add your Scholarship, Organization, or Resource for Underrepresented students to this page. 

2021 List of Scholarships and Career Resources for Underrepresented Students

/in /by

In our pursuit of a more equitable profession, we are providing a list of resources for prospective students of color. It is our hope that the list of resources below will help students of color who aspire to become architects find networks and opportunities that help them to achieve their goals.

The following list is not all-inclusive, so if you would like for us to add others, please do not hesitate to contact us to add them.

 

Fellowships and Scholarships

 

American Indian Science and Engineering Society Scholarships

The American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) helps students move forward in their educational journeys by providing a wide range of programs and scholarship opportunities for American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Indigenous peoples of Canada. To apply, you must be an AISES member.

Deadline to Apply:  Varies by Scholarship

AIA Chicago Foundation Diversity Scholarship

AIA Chicago Foundation Diversity Scholarship Initiative, managed by the AIA Chicago Foundation, is an opportunity to attract and retain diverse, talented young professionals in Chicago and recognizes the value of new and unique voices in the profession. One $10,000 graduate scholarship and one $10,000 undergraduate scholarship are awarded each year.

Applications accepted beginning January 13 – April 9, 2021

American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS)

AIAS has a great list of scholarships and fellowship opportunities for students.

Deadline to Apply:  Varies by Scholarship

American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) Worldstudio Scholarships

AIGA Worldstudio Scholarships benefit minority and economically disadvantaged students who are studying photography, illustration, and design disciplines in colleges and universities in the United States. Scholarships are awarded annually to encourage social and environmental responsibility and cultural awareness in the next generation of artists and designers.

Deadline to Apply:  Varies by Scholarship

American Planning Association Scholarship

Open to women, people of color and indigenous descent, veterans, disabled persons, and members of the LGBTQ community who are currently enrolled in undergraduate or graduate Planning Accreditation Board (PAB)-approved programs. Applicants must be APA members; membership for students is free.

This scholarship is awarded annually to students intending to pursue careers as practicing planners who will diversify the profession and who are able to demonstrate a genuine financial need.

Deadline to Apply: To Be Announced for 2021

American Society of Indian Engineers and Architects Scholarship Program

ASIE, a Houston, Texas-based nonprofit organization, established its scholarship program in 1998. ASIE awards financial aid to students of Indian descent who live in the Houston area or have a parent or grandparent who is a member of ASIE. The amount and number of annual scholarships awarded depend on donations from contributors as well as sponsors. Recipients in 2016 received up to $1,000 each.

Deadline to Apply: To Be Announced for 2021

Asian American Architects/Engineers Foundation Awards

The Asian American Architects/Engineers Association (AAa/e) (www.aaaesc.org) is committed to the empowerment of design professionals in personal growth, professional excellence, business development, and leadership in our communities. The Asian American Architects and Engineers Foundation (AAa/e Foundation) was created in 2004 as a branch of the AAa/e to better support the efforts of the AAa/e in seeking additional means of fundraising for scholarships. The AAa/e Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing opportunities and scholarships for students and other individuals in the profession of architecture, engineering, or construction. Applicants must be members of the AAa/e Association.

Deadline to Apply: May 28, 2021

Architects Foundation – The Diversity Advancement Scholarship

This scholarship—$4,000 per year and up to $20,000 total—supports undergraduate minority students who are entering, enrolled in, or transferring into a NAAB-accredited undergraduate architecture program. Scholarships may be renewed every year until your degree is completed, for up to 5 years.

We’re looking for minority students whose imagination and design thinking will influence the future of the architecture profession and the built environment.

Applications for the 2022 awards will open in November 2021.

Association for Women in Architecture Scholarship

The Association for Women in Architecture Foundation offers annual cash awards to women students studying Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban and/or Land Planning, Interior Design, or Environmental Design leading to a college degree.

Applicants must be residents of California or attending a California school, and must be enrolled in one of the qualifying majors for the current school term. Applicants must have completed a minimum of 18 units in their major by the application due date.

Deadline to Apply: April 25, 2021

CBC Spouses Visual Arts Scholarship

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Spouses Visual Arts Scholarship was established to provide financial assistance to African-American or Black students who are pursuing a degree in the visual arts. 

This award is for full-time African-American or Black students pursuing a degree in visual arts including, but not limited to, architecture, ceramics, drawing, fashion, graphic design, illustration, interior design, painting, photography, sketching, video production and other decorative arts.

Deadline to Apply: April 30, 2021

CINTAS Foundation Fellowship in Architecture & Design

Candidates in the fields of architectural design, interior design, urban design and urban planning may submit applications for the CINTAS Foundation Fellowship in Architecture. For the purpose of historical value and documentation, architectural award recipients are encouraged to submit architectural drawings (i.e., representative samples of their work) to be added to the CINTAS Fellows Collection after the grant period. To be eligible, applicants must have either Cuban citizenship or direct lineage. 

Eligibility for this fellowship: Creative artists of Cuban citizenship or direct lineage (having a Cuban parent or grandparent). Applicants engaged in research, students, or performing artists are not eligible to apply for CINTAS Fellowships. 

Deadline to Apply: May 1, 2021

College Raptor Scholarship

To help students take a thoughtful approach to the college decision process and pay for college, College Raptor is awarding a $2,500 scholarship.

For eligibility, applicants must:

  • Be legal residents of the United States, District of Columbia, or a U.S. Territory.
  • Be age 16 or older.
  • Be enrolled (or enroll no later than the fall of 2022) in an accredited post-secondary institution of higher learning (college, university or trade school).

Deadline to Apply: June 30, 2021

Fontana Transport Inc. Scholars Program

The Fontana Transport Inc. Scholars Program is open to underrepresented, low-income and first-generation college-bound students. Students must be pursuing an undergraduate degree full-time in transportation, math, science, engineering, architecture, environmental design, PreMed, psychology, Spanish language/literature. The applicant does not have to be a U.S. citizen but must have a minimum 3.5 GPA and proof of attending college beginning in the fall semester. Recommendation by a faculty member is optional but highly suggested.

Deadline to Apply: March 14, 2021

Gensler Diversity Scholarship

Gensler offers two U.S. scholarships annually, including the Diversity Scholarship, which awards African-American students enrolled in a U.S. not-for-profit educational institution beginning their final year of a NAAB-accredited architecture program. Recipients will win academic scholarships as well as summer internship opportunities.

The Scholarships open in October and close in January of the following year.

HEEF Architecture and Engineering Scholarship

The Orange County (OC) Hispanic Educational Endowment Fund (HEEF) serves US Citizens, Permanent Residents, and Dream Act/ AB 540 students who live in Orange County, California only. HEEF offers competitive academic scholarships for OC high school and community college transfers who qualify for need-based financial aid and who enroll at a 4-year college or university.

This scholarship is open to Orange County-based Latino/a high school students who have been accepted or are returning to an accredited post-secondary educational program majoring in architecture or engineering and who have a minimum 3.0 GPA. 

Deadline to Apply: The Scholarships Application is open from October through December each year.

Hispanic Scholarship Fund

The HSF Scholarship is offered to students by the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. Founded in 1975, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund was created in order to empower Latino families with the information and resources that they need in order to earn a higher education. The HSF Scholarship does not require students to choose a particular major or graduate field to be eligible for the money, however, it does place emphasis on STEM majors.

Deadline to Apply:  Varies by Scholarship

Houzz Scholarship Program

Houzz offers four different architecture scholarships—Women in Architecture, Residential Design, Sustainable Residential Design, and Residential Construction Management—each for $2,500. Scholarships are open to current undergraduate or graduate students enrolled in interior design, architecture, landscape architecture, architectural engineering, or construction management programs.

Deadline to Apply: March 31, 2021

 IA Interior Architects Diversity in Design Scholarship

In partnership with the IIDA Foundation, the IA Interior Architects Diversity in Design Scholarship seeks to recognize that creating a diverse design community is paramount in making the world of design a more inclusive and innovative place. This scholarship is open to graduate and undergraduate students worldwide. There will be one $5,000 scholarship, one $3,000 scholarship and four $500 scholarships awarded.

Deadline to Apply: To Be Announced

John J. Nelson Sr. Legacy Scholarship

The John J. Nelson Sr. Legacy Scholarship Fund was created to benefit and further the study of interior design and architecture by students of African American descent. The scholarship fund is administered through the IIDA Foundation.

Deadline to Apply: To Be Announced

Landscape Architecture Foundation EDSA Minority Scholarship

The EDSA Minority Scholarship was established to help African American, Hispanic, Native American and minority students of other cultural and ethnic backgrounds continue their landscape architecture education. Eligible candidates are in their final two years of undergraduate study or pursuing a graduate degree in landscape architecture. Recipients are awarded $5,000.

Deadline to Apply: February 1, 2021

Mildred Colodny Diversity Scholarship

The Mildred Colodny Diversity Scholarship program provides financial assistance and experiential learning opportunities to individuals preparing for careers in historic preservation.  The purpose of the Colodny Scholarship is to increase the diversity of people pursuing degrees and careers in historic preservation in the United States.  The National Trust is seeking culturally diverse applicants whose commitment to historic preservation will be strengthened by obtaining a graduate degree in preservation, who will benefit from the internship and mentorship opportunities provided by the Trust, and who ultimately will contribute valuable, diverse perspectives to — and become leaders in — the field of preservation.

The National Trust defines diversity as inclusive, embracing people of all races, creeds, genders, ages, sexual orientations, religions, physical characteristics and abilities, veteran status, and economic or social backgrounds.  It also encompasses historic places, communities and geographical areas that represent the full range of unique characteristics, experiences, and cultures.

Awarded up to $15,000 towards graduate school tuition; a paid summer internship with the National Trust following the student’s first year of study; and support of the student’s attendance at a National Preservation Conference or other National Trust training opportunity. One scholarship package per year will be awarded.

Deadline to Apply: February 28, 2021.

National Action Council for Minority Engineers Scholarships

To be eligible to be named for any of the NACME administered scholarships students must either be a high school senior applying to an engineering or computer science program at a NACME Partner Institution, or be currently matriculating in an engineering or computer science program at a NACME Partner Institution, a US citizen or permanent resident, and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. NACME’s mission is to increase the representation of Black/African American, Latinx/Hispanic-American, and Native/American Indian in the fields of engineering and computer science.

Deadline to Apply:  Varies by Scholarship

National Park Service and Hispanic Access Foundation- Community Planning or Landscape Architecture Fellowship

The New Mexico National Park Service (NPS) Community Planning/Landscape Architect Fellowship is a unique opportunity for an exemplary Latino master’s graduate student or recent graduate.  The Fellowship is designed to provide practical experience with diverse communities that we serve including Native American and Latino. 

Deadline to Apply:  Varies by Year

National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Diversity Scholarship Program

This program helps members of underrepresented communities attend the National Trust’s annual conference, PastForward. Participants receive financial assistance, including complimentary registration and lodging at PastForward.

Deadline to Apply:  Varies by Scholarship

OHA Native Hawaiian Scholarships

The UH-OHA Hoʻonaʻauao Higher Education Scholarship Program helps fund tuition and fees for Native Hawaiian students pursuing an undergraduate degree or vocational education certificate at any of the 10 campuses within the University of Hawaiʻi System. The program will provide scholarship recipients with advising and mentoring, professional and leadership development, and cultural-based workshops.

Deadline to Apply: March 1, 2021

Payette Sho-Ping Chin Memorial Academic Scholarship

The partners at Payette established this annual memorial scholarship to honor their friend, colleague and fellow partner, Sho-Ping Chin FAIA. This scholarship fund, developed in collaboration with the American Institute of Architects Foundation, will award a scholarship of $10,000 each year to a woman for the study of architecture.

Eligibility to third- and fourth-year women architecture students in a NAAB- accredited undergraduate degree program, as well as women in any level of graduate study in a NAAB-accredited program. 

Deadline to Apply:  Varies by Year

PepsiCo Cesar Chavez Latino Scholarship

The Cesar Chavez Foundation, in partnership with PepsiCo, invites students of Latino descent who are beginning or continuing their studies at higher educational institutions in Arizona and California’s Central Valley, to apply for the PepsiCo Cesar Chavez Latino Scholarship Fund. The Scholarship Fund provides $300,000 in scholarship awards to qualified Latino students in Arizona and California regardless of national origin or immigration status in an effort to promote their academic success. 

Deadline to Apply: To Be Announced

SmithGroup Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Scholarship Program

We have created the SmithGroup Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Scholarship Program to support and mentor students from historically underrepresented demographics in architecture, interior design, planning, landscape architecture and engineering.  The program’s mission is to provide these students with the opportunity to attain their professional goals while advancing the architecture/engineering/construction (AEC) industry and improving the built environment.

Deadline to Apply: October 30, 2020

Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Scholarship

Architecture firm ZGF, based in Portland, Oregon, awards a scholarship to one student in his or her final year at the graduate or undergraduate level in a NAAB-accredited architecture program. A summer internship with the firm is also offered to the scholarship recipient.

Deadline to Apply: February 1, 2021

 

Networks and Organizations

400 FORWARD

Launched in 2017 when the 400th living African American woman achieved licensure, 400 Forward aims to boost the next generation of African American women architects—who currently make up only 0.2 percent of all licensed architects—through exposure to architecture, mentorship, and financial assistance

ArchiteXX

A non-profit organization for Gender Equity in architecture transforming the profession by bridging the academy and practice. We are a Cross-Generational group of academics and practitioners, and our organization is dedicated to the advancement of all women-identified, non-binary, gender non-conforming, and allied individuals.

Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation.

The Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation (BWAF) is an advocacy group committed to changing the culture of the building industry for women working in architecture, landscape, engineering, and construction—market sectors where only about 17 percent of the leaders are women. Founded in 2002 by Willis, a pioneering woman in the field, the New York-based nonprofit advances the recognition of women’s contributions to architecture through grants and research and supports current professionals and students through educational and social initiatives.

Black Females in Architecture

Black Females in Architecture (BFA) is a network and enterprise founded to increase the visibility of black and black mixed heritage females within the architectural industry and other built environment fields. In so doing, BFA actively addresses issues of inequality and diversity within the industry

BFA supports its growing membership through the provision of a support network within which members benefit from shared knowledge, advice, guidance, access to the personal networks of fellow members, job opportunities, and much more.

Black Interior Designers Network

The Black Interior Designers Network’s mission is to promote diversity and inclusion within the interior design industry by highlighting designers of color and supporting black designers with business development opportunities and resources to help Black designers thrive.

Female Design Council

With the mission of establishing a strong support network for female and female-identifying design professionals—through events, exhibitions, discussions, programming, business development opportunities, and community outreach with industry partners.

National Organization of Minority Architects

Founded in 1971 by 12 African-American architects, who met at the national AIA Convention in Detroit that year and recognized the need to help foster the development of minority architects, NOMA showcases the work of Black architects through its publications and conferences. This national group relies on the strength of its local chapters for advocacy, community outreach, and professional development.

Organization of Black Designers

The Organization of Black Designers is a national professional organization of interior, industrial/product, architectural, fashion, UX, UI and graphic designers dedicated to promoting the visibility, empowerment, education and interaction of its membership and the understanding and value that diverse design perspectives contribute to world culture and commerce.

The Designer’s Workshop

Associate interior designer at Rockwell Group Kamille Glenn founded the Designer’s Workshop as a collective to unite people of color in any 3D-design disciplines, including architecture and design, and to shine a light on this underrepresented population through connectivity and collaboration.

 

Resources 

Financial Aid, Scholarships, and Resources for African American Students

This resource is for African American Students, and it details information about different types of financial assistance available to African American students, including historically Black university scholarships, field-specific scholarships, and scholarships for women.

College Scholarships For Minorities

Student-Specific Scholarships support individual groups of college students like women and minorities.

45+ College Scholarships for Minority Students

Published by Purdue University Global, this resource shares 45+ financial aid scholarships for future and current students as well as potential graduate students to supplement the cost of education or professional development endeavors. Information on where to find scholarships and grants is supplied. Also highlighted within the resource are opportunities dedicated to specific demographics such as African Americans, Asian Americans, Latino Students, Native Americans, and much more. The featured scholarships are current and are provided by trusted organizations. The resource will constantly be updated to ensure students can apply to the most accurate scholarships available.

Contact us at info@acsa-arch.org to add your Scholarship, Organization, or Resource for Underrepresented students to this page. 

Pt I: 5 Tips to Help You Prepare for Architecture School

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Interested in studying architecture and looking for ways to prepare? Study Architecture, in partnership with the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS), has put together a series called “An Application Guide to Architecture Schools” where we will share tips and tricks from current and former architecture students. Over the next few months, look out for more posts as part of this ongoing series.

Tip #1: Research. Research. Research.

There are many paths to becoming a licensed architect. If that’s your goal, it’s important to know which schools offer degree programs accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). Additionally, you should also assess what area of focus a school emphasizes. For example, some schools are art intensive, some are technology-focused and others are community-centered.

Tip #2: Take an art class.

It’s a common misconception that studying architecture will be extremely math-intensive. While every program has different requirements, art and/or design is a staple in most programs. Architecture is a blend of art and science and so cultivating those art skills early will definitely give you a leg up. As a student, you’ll discover that an architecture degree can lead to many careers.

Tip #3: Get social.

Social media is a great way to expose yourself to design content from around the world. Check out student work on Instagram @imadethat_, keep up with what’s happening at architecture schools on Instagram @studyarchitecture, and get a preview of what student leaders are doing with their design and service work on Instagram by following @aiasorg.

Tip #4: Explore some architectural sites.

This can often be done right where you live. Architecture is everywhere. From historic homes found in the south to skyscrapers lining city streets, each building found in your neighborhood contributes to the social, political and environmental story of your community.

Tip #5: Visit a few schools.

If time and money permits, it’s always best to visit the school’s campus so you can see the student work, take a tour of the school, and ask questions in person. See the next page for a shortlist of questions you can ask the admissions department. 

This post is part one of a series entitled An Application Guide to Architecture School. Download the guide as a PDF.

Written by Kendall Nicholson, Amanda Gann, Sarah Curry, and Adam Fogel. Special thanks to the AIAS Equity and Diversity Task Force for their contribution.

 

Scholarships and Career Resources for Students of Color

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(via Curbed)

In reporting last year on the state of race and architecture, we attempted to focus on rooting out ways to help foster a more inclusive, diverse, and creative profession. Consider this resource list a tool to find and create such opportunities, and to make connections that benefit both aspiring architects and working professionals.

The programs below, from student summer camps to professional seminars, address both the pipeline problem in architecture and the historic lack of leadership roles for architects of color. This list of scholarships, mentor programs, volunteer opportunities, and professional organizations will always be a work in progress, and we’re keen to add more—so please send any noteworthy additions to curbed@curbed.com or drop suggestions in the comments.

Student groups & youth programs

Project Pipeline

Sponsored and organized by the National Organization of Minority Architects, this summer camp gives minority youth insight and experience with architecture via workshops and activities led by professional volunteers. Those interested in attending can begin registration via email; camps are currently scheduled for New Orleans, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

The ACE (Architecture, Construction, Engineering) Mentor Program

The ACE Mentor Program provides pre-college students with real-world exposure to professionals, and has demonstrated great success in preparing minority students to study and practice architecture. The program is free of charge and offers scholarships to alumni.

In addition, the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture and the American Institute of Architecture Students both maintain exhaustive list of summer programs, many focused on high school students interested in the profession. Most programs offer some need-based scholarships and financial aid. For those considering higher education, the ACSA also hosts a Virtual Career Expo that links prospective students with university representatives.

Hip-Hop Architecture Camps

These one-week camps introduce youth to architecture, urban planning, creative place making, and economic development through the lens of hip-hop culture. Founder and instructor Mike Fordbelieves the hip-hop generation “will champion this new vernacular, and rely on our love for hip-hop coupled with our architectural knowledge, to build our communities and increase the number of minority practitioners.” Free and open to students ages 10-17 who complete the application process, the camps use hip-hop culture as an entryway to learn about S.T.E.A.M. (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) topics.

NAACP ACT-SO Initiative

ACT-SO—which stands for Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological, and Scientific Olympics—is a year-long achievement program put on by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. High school students work with mentors to develop projects in 29 competition areas, including architecture. Students can select up to three topics in which to compete. Competitions begin at a local level, with winners advancing to a national stage.

ArcPrep

The ArcPrep program at the University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture is aimed at high school students interested in architecture from Detroit Public Schools. It is an intensive semester-long, college-level course that meets five days a week and introduces architecture, urbanism, and design-related fields through project-based work. The program also includes career exposure and counseling to help students prepare for college applications, portfolios, and post-college work.

Scholarships

AIA/Architects Foundation Diversity Advancement Scholarship

Established in 1969, this program seeks to provide educational funding to “not only to those youths in financial need, but to those who otherwise would not have other means to obtain a professional education.” More than 2,300 students from a minority race or ethnicity have taken advantage of this program since 1970, which awards a $4,000 renewable scholarship to at least three first- or second-year undergraduate students attending a NAAB program. The scholarship can be renewed for each year of the student’s program (up to five years).

ACE Mentor Program Scholarship

Registered ACE high school students are applicable for one of many scholarships and grants offered through this program. Local affiliate ACE programs have different scholarships and deadlines.

American Society of Indian Engineers and Architects Scholarship Program

ASIE, a Houston, Texas-based nonprofit organization, established their scholarship program in 1998. ASIE awards financial aid to students of Indian descent who live in the Houston area or have a parent or grandparent who is a member of ASIE. The amount and number of annual scholarships awarded depend on donations from contributors as well as sponsors. Recipients in 2016 received up to $1,000 each.

Asian American Architects/Engineers Foundation Awards

Nonprofit organization AAa/e Foundation offers scholarships in six categories: high school students scholarship, community college students scholarship, undergraduate students scholarship, postgraduate students scholarship, student loan support grant, and a university award. Applicants must be members of the AAa/e Association.

CBC Spouses Visual Arts Scholarship

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation awards $3,000 to students with majors in the visual arts, including architecture. Eligible applicants must be currently enrolled or planning to be enrolled in the upcoming academic year as a full-time undergraduate student and have a minimum 2.5 GPA.

Gensler Diversity Scholarship

Gensler offers two U.S. scholarships annually, including the Diversity Scholarship, which awards African-American students enrolled in a U.S. not-for-profit educational institution beginning their final year of a NAAB-accredited architecture program. Recipients will win academic scholarships as well as summer internship opportunities.

Gordon Stafford Scholarship in Architecture

A total of five scholarships worth $3,000—$1,500 to the student and $1,500 to the school’s financial aid office—are available to minority students with a permanent California address. Applicants must be first-year new or transfer students pursuing a bachelor of architecture degree or a five-year master of architecture program from an NAAB-accredited school or college.

HEEF Architecture and Engineering Scholarship

This $3,000 scholarship is open to Orange County-based Latino/a high school students who have been accepted into an accredited four- or five-year program in architecture or engineering and who have a minimum 3.5 GPA. Applicants also have to be first-generation college students and come from a family with an income limit of $45,000.

Houzz Scholarship Program

Houzz offers four different architecture scholarships—Women in Architecture, Residential Design, Sustainable Residential Design, and Residential Construction Management—each for $2,500. Scholarships are open to current undergraduate or graduate students enrolled in interior design, architecture, landscape architecture, architectural engineering, or construction management programs.

Judith McManus Price Scholarship (urban planning)

Women and minority students enrolled in an approved Planning Accreditation Board program and who intend to pursue careers in planning are able to apply for this scholarship, which ranges between $2,000 to $4,000.

Landscape Architecture Foundation EDSA Minority Scholarship

This scholarship was established for minority landscape architecture students in their final two years of undergraduate study or those pursuing a graduate degree. Recipients are awarded $5,000.

National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Diversity Scholarship Program

This program helps members of underrepresented communities attend the National Trust’s annual conference, PastForward. Participants receive financial assistance, including complimentary registration and lodging at PastForward.

Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Scholarship

Architecture firm ZGF, based in Portland, Oregon, awards $10,000 to one student in his or her final year at the graduate or undergraduate level in an NAAB-accredited architecture program. A summer internship with the firm is also offered to the scholarship recipient.

College & university organizations

American Institute of Architecture Students

A network of university-based groups promoting career opportunities, learning, and professional opportunities, AIAS hosts an annual conference and collaborates on the Freedom by Designcommunity-service project, which provides construction and design assistance to low-income neighborhoods, as well as Americans with disabilities.

Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture

A clearinghouse for information on architecture, education, and careers, including a job board, this group supports a number of publications, conferences, and events that help both students and faculty network and pursue career opportunities. It also provides data around salaries and diversity.

National Organization of Minority Architecture Students

The campus version of the National Organization of Minority Architects. Its parent organization, NOMA, also hosts an annual student design competition; this year’s event takes place in Houston in October. If your campus doesn’t have a chapter, NOMAS offers information on how to get one started.

Professional organizations

National Organization of Minority Architects

Founded by 12 African-American architects in Detroit in 1971 following an AIA convention, this organization, which now has 25 local chapters across the country, was founded with the goal of championing diversity within the design professions. In addition to a wide list of local chapters and resources, NOMA maintains a job board,

American Institute of Architects

The country’s largest professional organization for architects offers a number of initiatives and programs to promote diversity within the industry. The Diversity Recognition Program “seeks to recognize architects, components, and others for exemplary commitment and contributions to diversifying the profession of architecture” and gives out awards at its annual Grassroots Leadership Conference.

In January, the organization’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Commission released a report on diversifying the profession and issued 11 recommendations, including engaging young students; creating equity, diversity, and inclusion scores and reports; and factoring that data into their reports.

American Society of Landscape Architects

Since 2012, the group has convened an annual diversity summit to discuss ways in which the profession can better reflect the diversifying country. Plans discussed at the 2016 event include creating scholarships for minorities and producing and promoting more case studies featuring minority practitioners.

Asian American Architects/Engineers Association

This LA-based national group, which leans heavily towards the west coast, hosts a job board, sponsors local events, and publishes a semi-regular blueprints newsletter.

The Rafala Green Fellowship: An Artspace Program

This Artspace fellowship is open to people of color and indigenous people interested in working in the fields of the arts, real estate, and community development. Named in honor of Rafala Green, an African American artist, community activist, and former Artspace board member who helped the organization make bridges into the Twin Cities African American community during the ’90s, the two-year fellowship will be awarded two four fellows who will work full-time at the Artspace headquarters in Minneapolis, Minneapolis, and support current projects. Each fellow will receive a $50,000 annual salary during the length of the fellowship, as well as a comprehensive benefits package.

—With research and writing by Selina Cheah

(via Curbed)

2017 Fairy Tales Architecture Competition Winners

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(via Archinect)

The Fairy Tales Architecture Competition concluded another successful edition Monday evening with the anticipated reveal of its 2017 winners. The competition had its biggest winners announcement yet in front of a live audience at the National Building Museum in Washington D.C.

Like every year, the submissions blur the line between fictional and non-fictional. Narratives are depicted as storybook-friendly illustrations, but refer to themes like real-life current events or evergreen topics like the creative process, mundane everyday activities, and relatable human emotions.

The esteemed jury — which included Marion Weiss, Jing Liu, Stefano Boeri, Michael Maltzan, National Building Museum Executive Director Chase W. Rynd, and Archinect’s very own Alexander Walter, among others — selected three prize winners, an American Institute of Architecture Students winner, and 10 honorable mentions.

1ST PRIZE: “Last Day” by Mykhailo Ponomarenko | Ukraine

Synopsis: “The entry utilizes classical painting techniques to create monumental landscapes with strange scifi megastructures inserted into them. The relatively mundane occurrences in the story make it feel like these wild scenes could in fact be real.”

From the winner: “Landscapes have always inspired me to put something weird, unreal and out of human scale into them. Something not feasible and not practical that contrasts with the natural surroundings, but also exists at the same scale. These satirical interventions lead to new ideas and feelings about nature – they make the viewer more aware about the environment and our harmful impact on it. We are flat surface creatures. Sometimes I feel that we crave it so much that the planet is going to be turned into pavement so cars can go anywhere, and our industries could continue expanding. The “Saturn Rings” in my proposal represent these flat surface desires but in a more poetic, optimistic, and friendly manner.” — Mykhailo Ponomarenko

2ND PRIZE: “City Walkers” by Terrence Hector | Chicago, IL

Synopsis: “‘City Walkers’ or ‘The Possibility of a Forgotten Domestication and Biological Industry’ tells a beautiful story of a sentient species of architecture that moves slower than humans can perceive. That doesn’t stop human beings from harnessing every possible bit of energy from “The Walkers” in addition to spawning settlements in their wake.”

From the winner: “The city in this story was an exploration of civilization and urbanism as humanity’s relationship with natural and biological systems that exist on a vastly longer timescale than the human lifespan. Creating a closer relationship time-wise between human and natural timeframes let me derive a new urban typology, which also acts as a parable of overexploitation. I was trying to work through an inferred genealogy from the USS Monitor to Hayao Miyazaki, working through a tradition of humanizing massive, aggressive machines.” – Terrence Hector

3RD PLACE: “Up Above” by Ariane Merle d’Aubigné & Jean Maleyrat | France

Synopsis: “‘Up Above’ is an imaginative story of refugees in the sky that build shanties on thin stilts, high in the clouds, to escape oppression, regulations, and inequality on the surface of the earth below.”

From the winners: “Revisiting the world of fairy tales by participating in the Blank Space competition was very stimulating. The short narrative takes a look at reality through the marvelous and the fantastic. We have tried to highlight contemporary issues and concerns by letting the supernatural burst into reality. Migration, the accumulation of wealth, overpopulation, the terrorist threat and pollution are some of the issues with which we live every day. We highlighted these concerns and our love of art through this poetic tale. Our generation often aspires to an “elsewhere”, in our “elsewhere” the rules of the game have changed.” — Ariane Merle d’Aubigné & Jean Maleyrat

AIAS Winner: “Playing House by Maria Syed & Adriana Davis – New Jersey Institute of Technology
(AIAS Prize is awarded to the highest scoring entry from an AIAS member)

Synopsis: “Playing House is an exercise in illustrating the destructive power of split-personality. Starting with traditional drawings of a modest dwelling, the drawings, and in turn, the narrative, devolve into a series of accusations, misunderstandings, and multiplicity.

From the winners: “Playing House embodies the idea that architecture can eclipse the personality of its occupants, where the character and style of the architecture dictate the mood of the inhabitants. The loud textures and discordant angles of the home sparked the idea for the story: transitioning from room to room manifests itself in drastic physical and psychological change. The drawings, the genesis of our submission, address architectural conventions of projection drawings, merged with the unconventional appearance of the home to create friction. This act is mirrored in the story, where a typical visit from a neighbor turns peculiar. The two creators of this project worked closely throughout their undergraduate career, creating an inseparable partnership for their first collaboration.” — Maria Syed & Adriana Davis

To read the winning entries in full, click here.

For more information, see Archinect.

[GRAD APP] Part 1: Identifying Your Interests

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PART 1: IDENTIFYING YOUR INTERESTS

Zoom out.

Think about your interests more broadly. Think about what you like to DO. And don’t just think about what you might want to do while you are in school but after you graduate, too.

Grab your sketchbook and jot down your interests!

Grab your sketchbook and jot down your interests! Image courtesy of Baron Fig.

Grab a sheet of paper or pull out your favorite notebook (we’ve been crushing on Baron Fig’s Confidant) and just start writing. Don’t limit yourself. What excites you? What do you love to do without even trying? What interests you and you would like to learn more about? Do you like history? Do you like technology? What about how cities work? What is it about architecture that excites you the most?

Have fun with it! Think about the fantasy job of the future and imagine what that looks like. You can’t accomplish your dream if you don’t know what it is. So start by writing it down.

Connect the dots.

Looking at the list that you just created, are there any patterns starting to form? Can you start to arrange items into categories? Many architecture students have a wide range of interests, from animation to videography. Start thinking about other majors that you might want to consider, too.

Zoom in.

What about you? Now that you have map out your interests, start imagining a day in the life of your future self. What kind of people are you working with? What environment do you work in every day? Do you travel a lot? Do you work mostly alone?

Here are some examples of interests shared by real students and what kinds of programs they entered.
Student A
Interest: Sustainability, Urbanism, Community Design, and Ecological Design
Primary Factors: Location on the West Coast
School: University of Oregon

Student B
Interests: Digital Fabrication, Design-Build, Innovative Building Systems
Primary Factors: the number of robots, the CNC Machines and Research opportunities.
School: University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning

Student C
Interests: Building Information Modeling, Resilience, Adaptive Reuse, and Public Health
Primary Factors: Location, program type, design interests, tuition and alumni base
School: University of Maryland

 

Stay Tuned…  Next Week: Do Your Research!

In the meantime, five things to inspire you:

TED Talks – On “Architecture” and others

Curated Lists on Section | Cut  – http://www.sectioncut.com

99% Invisible Podcast with Roman Mars

The Architype Project by AIAS

Working Outside the Box by Archinect

Take the QUIZ on StudyArchitecture.com. It only takes about 10 minutes and it is super fun!

Head to StudyArchitecture.com and click the blue button to take the quiz!

Head to StudyArchitecture.com and click the blue button to take the quiz!