Through collaborations with the AIA, member offices, and individual practitioners, the School of Architecture often achieves its greatest successes.
An important form of collaboration is your financial and professional support of the school and students. Many of your offices donate generously to scholarships for our students. With today’s cost of education, these scholarships are often the primary form of support that enables a student to study architecture.
The School of Architecture Advisory Council, all practicing architects, not only contributes financial support to the school and students, but members serve on three committees in which their expertise and passions can contribute to the success of the School. The Knowledge Committee assists in identifying guest lecturers and exhibitions and provides an e-mentoring program. Members of the Advocacy Committee help identify needs and funding sources for the School and students and promote and support the opportunities for architectural internships and employment. The Recruitment Committee promotes the role and activities of architects to students of all ages in their community. It seeks to identify and mentor potential students in their pursuit of an architectural degree. And, of course, all members who wish to sit on studio reviews throughout the academic year. If you are interested in helping the School of Architecture through the activities of the Advisory Council, please contact me. The Council/School relationship is a model example of collaboration between the profession and MSU.
An excellent example of this collaboration involves sixteen students and William Clinton, Director of the School’s Fabrication Facilities. The students: Luke Anhorn, Travis Boyer, Jimmy Brown, John Carson, Aiden Cohen, Delano Falls Down, Aleck Gantick, Kelli Littleton, Mathew Mamich, Palo Prats Mira, Larissa Morales, Brayden Scaags, Alexandrea Simenson, Sander Story, Stephanie Weedle, Alexandra Wolsifer and Director Clinton collaborated on the design and construction of the interior and exterior furnishing for the newly dedicated American Indian Center on the MSU Campus. Utilizing wood from trees cleared for construction, the students captured the essence of the wood and embodied in their collaborations the spirit of the Native American Center itself. Here are a few examples:
