The School of Architecture is pleased to announce that applications are now open for the 2019 Spring Student and Faculty Awards. Opportunities available include scholarships, internships, and travel prizes for both undergraduate and graduate students, as well as faculty awards. More information available on the SoA Awards page.
The 2019 SoA Design Awards Ceremony recognizing award winners will take place on Wednesday, 17 April from 3:30-5:00pm in the Kresge Theatre.
Undergraduate Student Awards
Burdett Assistantship | Applications due 20 March
The Burdett Assistantship was established in recognition of Bob Burdett’s long and outstanding service to the University and profession. This award is open to all students pursuing their first professional degree in architecture, and is intended to support projects and activities that will enhance the winning student’s future work. According to its charter, the winner of the Burdett Assistantship “shall possess love of their subject, integrity, patience, fairness, and respect for others since these are the qualities exemplified by Bob Burdett throughout his career.” One $4,000 scholarship will be awarded to a B.Arch candidate. For more information, and to apply, visit: https://soa.cmu.edu/burdett-assistantship
Alwin Cassens, Jr. Memorial Fund in Architecture | Applications due 20 March
The Alwin Cassens, Jr. Memorial Fund in Architecture provides financial support to School of Architecture students who are traveling for conferences or other related travel in support of their academic pursuits in the area of public interest design. The fund was established in 2015 by Diane Cassens Cummins and Richard Cummins, and Joan Cassens Zinner (MM ’66) in memory of Diane and Joan’s father Alwin Cassens, Jr. (A ’34). The award amount will total $2,200. For more information, and to apply, visit: https://soa.cmu.edu/cassens-memorial-fund-in-architecture
Fourth-Year Design Awards | Applications due 20 March
The School of Architecture recognizes and celebrates design excellence through the Bachelor of Architecture Fourth-Year Design Awards program. All fourth-year students pursuing a Bachelor of Architecture degree are invited to submit a digital portfolio and a personal statement positioning their work in relation to the year’s theme. The 2018-2019 theme Iterations emphasizes design as a continuous cycle of proposing, prototyping, testing, analyzing, and refining ideas—in short, the critical interaction of mind and hand. Recognizing the value of experimentation and failure, how does your work reflect a capacity to adapt and engage in an evolutionary process?
Four awards are available to fourth-year Bachelor of Architecture students: The Luther S. Lashmit & Louis F. Valentour Traveling Scholarships, the Ralph H. Burt Jr. and Alva L. Hill Scholarship, and the Stewart L. Brown Memorial Scholarship.
Luther S. Lashmit and Louis F. Valentour Traveling Scholarships: These awards recognize design excellence and support international travel and research. The application requires applicants to submit a travel or research proposal. The selected winner will be asked to prepare a travel or research proposal under the guidance of a faculty advisor, to be presented at the 2019 SoA Awards Ceremony in April. The award amount totals $5,000 for the Lashmit Scholarship and $9,000 for the Valentour Scholarship.
Ralph H. Burt Jr. and Alva L. Hill Scholarship: This award was established in 2010 in honor of Ralph Burt and Alva Hill, the founders of Burt Hill architecture, engineering, and planning firm. Preference is given to students whose work focuses on sustainable environments, performance-based design, and systems integration throughout the design process in alignment with the legacy of the work of Burt Hill. The award amount is $2,200 to be awarded to a B.Arch student in their fourth year of study.
Stewart L. Brown Memorial Scholarship: As a supplement to the Fourth-Year Design Awards, the Stewart L. Brown Memorial Scholarship recognizes professional promise as measured in both attitudes and scholastic achievement. The award serves as a balance to the AIA Medal Award, which is given only on the basis of scholarship. A jury convened by the Pittsburgh AIA will review the portfolios and select up to four (4) students for interviews with members of the Pittsburgh AIA leadership. The interviews will facilitate the determination of professional promise and ultimate selection of the awardee. The award amount totals $9,000 for the Stuart L. Brown Memorial Scholarship.
For more information, and to apply, visit: https://soa.cmu.edu/fourth-year-design-awards
Measuring & Monitoring Services, Inc. Internship Fund | Applications due 20 March
The Measuring & Monitoring Services, Inc. Internship Fund was established through the generosity of James Halpern (BAC ‘81) to provide financial support to a School of Architecture undergraduate student who wishes to undertake a summer internship or related program under the guidance of established professionals. The internship fund recognizes the importance and advantage of being immersed for an extended period in the creative processes and organizational dynamics of an architecture firm, non-government organization, non-profit organization, or CMU faculty member. Funds may be used to supplement paid internships, to volunteer for non-profit or non-government organizations, or to participate in a research project with a CMU faculty member. Funds are not to be used to compensate for unpaid internships. The award amount will total $3,000. For more information, and to apply, visit: https://soa.cmu.edu/measuring-monitoring-services-fund
John Knox Shear Memorial Traveling Award | Applications due 13 May
The John Knox Shear Award is the highest honor granted by the faculty of the School of Architecture to a graduating student in the Bachelor of Architecture program. The award recognizes exceptional design and representation as demonstrated through studio work within the last two years of the program. In enabling a substantial travel experience, the award encourages an understanding and analysis of the built environment through direct engagement. The awardee, as selected by SoA faculty, is announced at Commencement in May. The award amount is $10,000. For more information, and to apply, visit: https://soa.cmu.edu/john-knox-shear-award
Graduate Student Awards
George W. Anderson, Jr. Award | Applications due 18 February
The George W. Anderson, Jr. Award may be awarded to graduate students studying in the School of Architecture who demonstrate through a completed project "an exceptional level of attention to detail and dedication to beneficially impacting the community." Graduate students applying for this award are required to submit a narrative describing how the completed project benefited the community, with an emphasis on the craft and detailing of the work. Designs are not to be new designs, but are expected to be designs that have been completed to date. Applicants are also required to submit a Pecha Kucha style presentation about the project, to be presented on Monday 25 March at 12:00pm. It is anticipated that a 1st place award in the amount of $3,000 and a 2nd place award in the amount of $2,000 will be awarded. For more information, and to apply, visit: https://soa.cmu.edu/anderson-award
Burdett Assistantship | Applications due 20 March
The Burdett Assistantship was established in recognition of Bob Burdett’s long and outstanding service to the University and profession. This award is open to all students pursuing their first professional degree in architecture, and is intended to support projects and activities that will enhance the winning student’s future work. According to its charter, the winner of the Burdett Assistantship “shall possess love of their subject, integrity, patience, fairness, and respect for others since these are the qualities exemplified by Bob Burdett throughout his career.” One $4,000 scholarship will be awarded to a M.Arch candidate. For more information, and to apply, visit: https://soa.cmu.edu/burdett-assistantship
Ralph H. Burt Jr. and Alva L. Hill Scholarship | Applications due 20 March
The Ralph H. Burt Jr. and Alva L. Hill Scholarship was established in 2010 in honor of Ralph Burt and Alva Hill, the founders of Burt Hill architecture, engineering, and planning firm. Preference is given to students whose work focuses on sustainable environments, performance-based design, and systems integration throughout the design process in alignment with the legacy of the work of Burt Hill. The award amount is $2,200 to be awarded to a M.Arch student pursuing their first professional degree in architecture. For more information, and to apply, visit: https://soa.cmu.edu/burt-hill-scholarship
Alwin Cassens, Jr. Memorial Fund in Architecture | Applications due 20 March
The Alwin Cassens, Jr. Memorial Fund in Architecture provides financial support to School of Architecture students who are traveling for conferences or other related travel in support of their academic pursuits in the area of public interest design. The fund was established in 2015 by Diane Cassens Cummins and Richard Cummins, and Joan Cassens Zinner (MM ’66) in memory of Diane and Joan’s father Alwin Cassens, Jr. (A ’34). The award amount will total $2,200. For more information, and to apply, visit: https://soa.cmu.edu/cassens-memorial-fund-in-architecture
Faculty Awards
Margaret B. Gruger (A’41) Faculty Fund | Applications due 20 March
The Margaret B. Gruger (A’41) Faculty Fund was established to support the needs of the School of Architecture and its faculty. To that end, the Head of the School is soliciting project proposals from the faculty that advance the mission and reputation of the School. The Head of the School of Architecture will review the proposals and make the selection. One award will be made in the amount of $5,000. All current faculty of the School of Architecture are eligible to apply. For more information, and to apply, visit: https://soa.cmu.edu/gruger-faculty-fund
Isabel Sophia Liceaga Discretionary Fund | Applications due 20 March
The Isabel Sophia Liceaga Discretionary Fund was established to support faculty-led projects that critically engage students, advance the mission and reputation of the School of Architecture, and support the highest priority needs of the school and its constituents. The Head of the School of Architecture will review the proposals and make the selections. It is anticipated that there will be two (2) awards of $2,000 each. All current faculty of the School of Architecture are eligible to apply. For more information, and to apply, visit: https://soa.cmu.edu/isabel-sophia-liceaga-discretionary-fund