Archinect - News

The Cooper Union is starting to bring back free tuition

2024-09-03T17:02:00-04:00

In a surprising move, The Cooper Union has announced a return to tuition-free education for all undergraduate seniors within each of the next four years starting with its Class of 2025. The reversal comes ten years after school trustees formally voted to do away with its free mandate for the first time as a result of financial strain. The New York Times was first to report on the announcement, which follows a $6 million grant from three Cooper alumni.

The Cooper Union says it is on track to be free to all students by the 2028-29 academic year. Current costs for undergraduates hover at $44,550. However, the school is prioritizing the ten-year plan. Current first-, second-, and third-year students will receive full-tuition scholarships in their senior years under it. In a statement, outgoing President Laura Sparks said progress on the issue "[reaffirms] the ideals that have been foundational to this institution since Peter Cooper opened its doors in 1859."

Previously on Archinect: Coo...

Tim Disney's $1 million donation boosts SCI-Arc's DEI scholarship program

2023-03-21T17:51:00-04:00

SCI-Arc recently announced a new $1 million scholarship fund dedicated to the school’s efforts to advance Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion interests in the architectural field.

Former trustee Tim Disney established the fund in order to augment the school’s growing Equity + Inclusion Scholarship and Mentorship program, which pairs students from underrepresented backgrounds with mentors while providing fully-funded tuition.

The current E+1 cohort is 16 students. Disney said, “I am very grateful to be able to support this work, and very proud that SCI-Arc has made equity and inclusion scholarships a top priority.”

Other DEI initiatives adjacent to the program will also be pursued along a five-year strategic plan as part of the gift. The school has continually expanded its Structural Actions to Promote Access, Inclusion, and Equity in Architecture over the past two and a half years, hiring new faculty and bolstering the liberal arts curricula and Kappe Library collection in addition ...

Gensler awards more than $70,000 in scholarships to 17 emerging designers

2022-07-12T17:55:00-04:00

Architecture firms around the globe continue to exercise their efforts in providing scholarship opportunities to students and emerging designers looking to pursue careers in architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, and other adjacent professions.

This is the case for international architecture firm Gensler, which has announced recipients of this year's scholarship cycle. The 2022 Gensler Scholarships awarded include the Rising Black Designers Scholarship, the Brinkmann Scholarship, and a set of micro-scholarships presented to ten students.

Gensler Rising Black Designers Scholarship

Scholarship Details: In 2020, Gensler launched the Rising Black Designers Scholarship + Design Challenge to help talented design students overcome the costs associated with higher education. This annual program awards tuition scholarships, micro-scholarships for books and materials, and opportunities for summer internships to underrepresented Black students enrolled in U.S. not-for-profit ar...

Architects Foundation awards 2021 scholarships to promote diversity and sustainability

2021-07-14T12:49:00-04:00

The Architects Foundation has announced the recipients for four of its scholarship programs aimed at supporting future leaders in equity, diversity, and sustainability in the architecture profession. A philanthropic partner of the American Institute of Architects, the Architects Foundation has awarded the scholarships to 15 individuals during their architectural education to support their college tuition.

The 2021 Payette Sho-Ping Chin Memorial Academic Scholarship has been awarded to Brittney Sooksengdao, a student at Virginia Tech. Sooksengdao will receive a $10,000 scholarship intended to support the education of women in architecture and will also be mentored by an architect at Payette for the scholarship year.

The 2021 a/e ProNet David W. Lakamp AIA Scholarship has been awarded to Alexandra Gottlin from the University of Oregon and Schola Eburuoh from the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Each will receive $5,000 to be used towards tuition for demonstrating a strong intere...

Five architecture students awarded the 2021 Kohn Pedersen Fox Traveling Fellowship

2021-05-24T16:13:00-04:00

In a continued effort to support and mentor emerging architects and designers, firms like Kohn Pedersen Fox have developed scholarships and fellowship opportunities for students to explore and expand their architecture experiences.

"Each year, Kohn Pedersen Fox presents awards to students who are in their penultimate year at one of the twenty-seven design schools with whom KPF has partnered," shares the firm. "The purpose of the award is to allow students to broaden their education through a summer of travel before their final year at school [...] Recipients are awarded cash prizes to fund summer research on far-reaching topics that push the boundaries of critical thinking and architectural design."

This year's winning fellowship recipients are listed below in no particular order.

Rachel Bouraad of Pratt Institute

Portfolio by Rachel Bouraad. Image courtesy of KPF

Bijou Harding of Cambridge University

Portfolio of Bijou Harding. Image courtesy of KPF

Nicholas Houser of The Universit...

The Beyer Blinder Belle Foundation provides a $30k grant to support Howard University architecture students

2021-05-04T19:15:00-04:00

The Beyer Blinder Belle Foundation is a non-profit organization that has provided fellowships, grants, and other funding opportunities to support young architects entering the profession, graduate research, and "socially-conscious design and planning that directly benefits communities." Launched in 2017, the Foundation is tied to the New York-based architecture firm Beyer Blinder Belle. In April, the Foundation announced its first annual scholarship program dedicated to Howard University's Department of Architecture students.

The Foundation awarded a $30,000 grant to Howard University in order to support the academic pursuits and professional development of its architecture students. According to the Foundation, the funding provided is intended to "increase professional mobility, the program also includes a paid summer internship at Beyer Blinder Belle for one scholarship recipient."

(L-R) 2021 Scholarship recipients Dean Bailey, Khadija Callender, and Jemima Pierre. Image courtesy ...

RIBA launches annual scholarship opportunity for architecture students totaling £30K

2021-05-03T14:15:00-04:00

To increase scholarship opportunities for students pursuing degrees in architecture, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) announces their annual Wren Insurance Association Scholarships.

This funding scheme, launched in 2013, has provided financial support to students in the final year of their Part 2 course. RIBA President Alan Jones expresses thanks to the Wren Insurance Association for their continued support. "Scholarships and bursaries are an important part of our ongoing commitment to support students and reward and retain talent in the profession, and we look forward to seeing the applications received."

Since 2013, the scholarship has been awarded to 40 students. Each scholarship recipient receives £6,000 and a mentorship opportunity during the second year of their Part 2 course by an architect from a Wren-insured practice.

2020 Scholars, pictured clockwise from top left: Amber Godfrey, Richard Aina, Cora McLean, Hunter Doyle, Ayanna Blair-Ford. Image courtesy ...

Honoring California architecture students through scholarship at the 2020 2x8 Virtual Exhibition

2020-12-23T14:29:00-05:00

Virtual events became commonplace as in-person conferences, symposiums, and exhibitions switched to a virtual format. As event teams transitioned to digital platforms, the amount of work and effort showcased provided a humbling reminder of how far visual representations of work could be taken.

In November, the AIA Los Angeles and the 2x8 Committee showcased their annual 2x8 Exhibition and Scholarship Award Ceremony. In previous years, this in-person event would attract students, faculty, visitors, and more than 20 California-based schools to witness an exhibition that celebrates the very best the state have to offer.

Archinect Feature: AIA|LA recognizes the work of California's architecture students at the 2019 2x8:Exchange Competition. 2x8 Exhibition: Exchange (2019) Designed by: small talks: LA – At Helms Bakery District. Image © Kirill Volchinskiy/Courtesy of AIA|LA 2x8

Besides student work and scholarship awards, what makes the 2x8 Exhibition so unique is the site-specific exhib...

Architects Foundation Launches Black Women in Architecture Scholarship

2020-09-06T16:03:00-04:00

Mobilizing the architecture industry to provide opportunities for women, specifically for Black and minority women, has been an ongoing effort in recent years. Not only that, but the discussions over the state of racial and social injustice in field, the continued mistreatment of Black communities taking place in the larger world, and the growing and disproportionate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have together sparked greater efforts to re-evaluate racial biases inherent to many industries.

However, if there's anything the events of 2020 have taught the architecture industry, it's that architects, design professionals, and students should not be complacent with the mere "discussions" of making changes, but should instead focus on instilling real solutions in institutions and practices.

The AIA's philanthropic partner, the Architects Foundation, recently launched a new scholarship specifically to raise funds for Black Women in architecture. The Desiree V. Cooper Memorial fund aim...

Pratt School of Architecture launches Kathryn and Kenneth Chenault Scholarship to support student diversity

2020-08-04T16:45:00-04:00

Pratt Institute School of Architecture announced in late July the launch of the Kathryn and Kenneth Chenault Scholarship, an initiative started by Pratt Board of Trustee member Kathryn Chenault and her husband Kenneth to "support diversity in the School of Architecture."

The school has selected three incoming undergraduate students to receive funding from the initiative, which has been launched with an initial $1 million endowment.

The three students are:

Fatoumata Diallo from Columbus, OH
Ariana Dillon from Pembroke Pines, FL
Rylee Ferguson from Coppell, TX

Pratt School of Architecture Dean Harriet Harris shares in a statement, "A Pratt education empowers students to use their creativity and talent to make positive change in the world with a curriculum focused on key real-world issues from climate change to growing inequality and a goal of graduating a new generation of socially-engaged, inclusive architects and designers.”

With talk of diversifying student and faculty representat...

NOMA, HASTINGS, and U of Tennessee announce plans for new diversity scholarship

2020-06-26T18:42:00-04:00

The National Organization for Minority Architects (NOMA), Hastings Architecture, and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville have announced a new scholarship initiative aimed at bolstering the pipeline of students from diverse backgrounds entering architectural education.

The new Keystone Scholarship will "cover all academic costs" for an incoming student from Tennessee in the college’s School of Architecture or School of Interior Architecture each year of their education, while also providing financial support and guaranteeing a summer internship opportunity for the selected student. A statement announcing the launch of fundraising for the scholarship explains that "the full scholarship should enable the student to graduate with no academic debt."

Valarie Franklin, President of the Nashville Chapter of NOMA, explains: “One of NOMA’s missions is to encourage students into the profession and to continue in an active role in their education through licensure. This scholarship will not...

MIT Architecture PhD Student Mohamed Ismail Wins $90,000 Fellowship for Immigrants & Children of Immigrants

2020-04-17T17:07:00-04:00

“At a time when all forms of immigration are under attack, it’s more important than ever to be celebrating the achievements and contributions of immigrants and refugees from across the world,” said Craig Harwood, who directs the Fellowship program. “Our country and universities are enriched by the ingenuity that comes from abroad. When we honor and invest in New Americans our nation is stronger—the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellows are a perfect demonstration of that.”

An MIT architecture PhD student, Mohamed Ismail, is one of 30 immigrants and children of immigrants nationally, chosen as this year's recipients of The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans's $90,000 fellowship for graduate school students.

The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans, is a national merit-based Fellowship that honors the contributions of continuing generations of New Americans in the United States.

As a PhD student in building technology at MIT, Mohamed Ismail is researching the application of structural optimization to the alleviation of housing insecurity in the Global South. Born to Sudanese parents in the United States, Mohamed moved to the Philippines when he was eight. His parents had moved to the United States for an education and his father’s career in academia and research later brought them to the Philippines. Mohamed received his bachelor’s in civil and structural engineering at Duke University before receiving his Master of Architect...

Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts announces new full-tuition scholarships

2019-12-10T18:15:00-05:00

Since its founding in 2006, the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis has established a national reputation for addressing critical social and environmental challenges. Innovative programs, curricula, and collaborative initiatives have driven substantial growth in graduate enrollment and in the school’s campus footprint — both of which have roughly doubled in size.

Now, the Sam Fox School is launching a new scholarship program designed to enhance recruitment and interdisciplinary exchange across its graduate degree programs.

The Sam Fox Ambassadors Graduate Fellowship Program, which will welcome its inaugural class in fall 2020, will provide full-tuition waivers and accompanying travel stipends, as well as unique academic and professional opportunities, for 10 applicants each year, across the following graduate degree programs:

Master of Architecture
Master of Fine Arts in Illustration & Visual Culture
Master of Fine Arts in Visual Art
Master of L...

Yale School of Architecture receives $5 million gift for financial aid scholarships in Gehry's honor

2019-03-04T14:59:00-05:00

In celebration of Frank O. Gehry's 90th birthday, the Yale School of Architecture has received a $5 million gift for financial aid scholarships in his honor. Made by the philanthropist and real estate baron Richard D. Cohen, it is the largest gift toward financial aid in the school's history.

Gehry has served as a visiting professor at the esteemed university on and off since 1979, most recently teaching a semester-long studio on architecture and mass incarceration. Given his time teaching there and his great respect for the school, Gehry said in a statement that he is honored to be associated with the school through the scholarship fund.

The Gehry Scholarships, made possible through Cohen's donation, will be given annually to three entering master's students. The scholarship will not only support their graduate studies, but will also provide opportunities to travel to Los Angeles to see Gehry's work and visit his architecture firm.

“With the Gehry Scholarships students will have...

SCI-Arc announces full-tuition scholarship for LAUSD students

2016-12-06T12:52:00-05:00

Are you a LAUSD student who loves architecture and would like to attend SCI-Arc free of charge starting in the fall of 2017? Well, you're in luck: if you apply online by January 15, 2017, you'll be in the running for the recently announced merit-based, full-tuition scholarship for first-year freshmen originating from the metropolitan school district which, if you stay in the top 10% of your class, could last all five collegiate years.

As SCI-Arc director Hernan Diaz Alonso sees it, “SCI-Arc is embedded in the fabric of Los Angeles. With this scholarship we are reaffirming our relationship to the city’s public education system. We are proud of our well-rounded and rigorous Undergraduate program. A Bachelor of Architecture from SCI-Arc provides a creative way to see the world not only in architectural terms, but in sociological, political and economic terms as well.”

Get thee to an application form! In the meantime, check out these related posts about SCI-Arc:

SCI-Arc EDGE launches f...

SCI-Arc EDGE launches four new scholarships

2016-11-11T14:03:00-05:00

Almost exactly a year ago, the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) launched SCI-Arc EDGE, Center for Advanced Studies in Architecture, a postgraduate degree program. Now, the school has just announced the launch of four new scholarships for the program, amounting to the full tuition. The scholarships will be awarded to applicants based on merit. A scholarship will be available for each program: Master of Science in Architectural Technologies, Master of Science in the Design of Cities, Master of Arts in Fiction and Entertainment, and Master of Science in Design Theory and Pedagogy.

“I’m extremely proud to announce these new scholarships,” said David Ruy, Chair of Postgraduate Programs. “It represents SCI-Arc EDGE’s complete commitment to forward-thinking scholarship and research during what has now become clear as an uncertain moment in history.”

The deadline for applications is January 15, 2017.

More news from SCI-Arc:

Student Works: 'Ensemblespiel' Makes Uncann...