Each year since 1949, The American Institute of Architects has celebrated outstanding dedication to the profession of architecture through the Institute Awards program. Upon the inception of the National Associates Committee (NAC) in October 2000, the committee had launched an awards program to recognize Associate members on a national level for their accomplishments through the year. It is therefore with great excitement that we are now offering an ARE scholarship award.

Jason Pettigrew ARE Scholarship Award
In recognition of his contributions to internship and licensure, and the profession–including his own pursuit of the ARE-the NAC is has established a national ARE scholarship in honor of Jason Pettigrew, Assoc. AIA. The purpose of the award is to recognize the significant contributions of interns at an early stage of their career, and to help encourage them to complete their licensure by helping with the cost of the exam. Awards are not based on financial need, as much as they are based on contributions the intern has made to their profession and/or their community. We are also pleased to have Kaplan as a key sponsor of this award program.

AWARD DETAILS
Scholarship recipients will receive:

• Kaplan ARE Study Guides;
• Reimbursement for the cost of passing all divisions of the Architect Registration Exam one time*

* $400 awarded up front and remainder is paid upon successful completion of the exam, and to receive balance of award, recipients must complete the ARE within 5 years of receiving the initial award and submit passing reports from each of the divisions of the exam to the AIA for verification of completion. Due to the transition from ARE 3.1 to 4.0, this cost will vary between $1,071 for 3.1 candidates or $1,190 for 4.0 candidates.


CRITERIA
Applicants should demonstrate one or more of the following attributes:

• Significant contributions at an early stage of career to the profession and/or community;
• Exemplary involvement in community and/or professional organizations;
• Outstanding achievement in the creation, development and delivery of creative programs for interns, Associates, and/or young architect members;
• Traditional or alternative career path, with demonstrated passion for pursuit of registration;
  Strong letters of support detailing personal and professional contributions; and/or
• Inspiring statement of contribution.

ELIGIBILITY
In order for an applicant to be eligible for this scholarship, one of the following must apply:

• Associate AIA Member or IDP Record Holder in good standing; or
• Recently licensed architects, if licensed for the first time in 2008.

SUBMISSION INFORMATION
In order to ensure the fair and thorough evaluation of all nominees for the Jason Pettigrew ARE Scholarship, the following materials must be submitted in the manner described below. All entries submitted without the required nomination materials will be disqualified.

Nomination materials must be:

• Submitted via email to nac@aia.org ONLY in PDF format in the order specified by the Submission Requirements;
• Within an 8-1/2” x 11” electronic format with the name of the Nominee appearing on the first page of the submission;
• Limited to no more than the page specifications stated below.

Note: all nominations that receive awards become the property of AIA to be exhibited at collateral conferences and cannot be returned.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Applications must include:

• Completed Jason Pettigrew ARE Scholarship Application
• One statement of contribution (limited to 1 page)
• One Biography/Resume (limited to 2 pages)
• Three letters of recommendation. Letters are limited to 1 page each. Letters should come from individuals who can speak to the candidate’s accomplishments outlined in the personal statement. We recommend no more than one letter from each company/organization. The ideal candidate will have a variety of letters from their firm, a community organization, a member of the architecture profession, and/or a mentor.
• Proof of eligibility to take the exam by NCARB or one State Licensing Board (Click here to see an example.)

Submissions and questions may be addressed to:
nac@aia.org or (202) 626-7456

SCHEDULE
DEADLINE EXTENDED!

Electronic submissions must be received via email by WEDNESDAY, February 27, 2008 at 5PM ET. The AIA assumes no responsibility for the delivery of the material. It is the responsibility of the nominating individual to see that the submission is delivered to the AIA National Office by the appropriate date.

REVISED SCHEDULE

Jason dedicated much of his time with the AIA towards the development and growth of others and a commitment to community service. He touched the lives of everyone around him through his selfless service which included not only leadership roles locally, and with AIA Colorado, but through his national service as well. His significant contributions include assisting in the formation of the NAC through service on the first NAC Executive Committee, serving multiple years as an intern representative to the IDP Coordinating Committee, and most recently through his contributions towards the development of the AIA’s Emerging Professional’ Companion released in 2004.

As noted by Ana Guerra, Assoc. AIA, 2005 Associate representative to the AIA Executive Committee and past NAC chair: “Jason was committed to the future of the profession and kept all of our heads turned in the right direction–toward progress. He was an architecture intern’s strongest advocate on many fronts and created conversations for all of the profession to work as one.”

Jason graduated from the University of Colorado at Denver with his Master in Architecture in June 2000. At work, Jason embodied a fervor for every project and activity in which he was involved. He had a particular passion for religious architecture and most recently worked on a design competition for an “Interfaith Sacred Space” sponsored by IFRAA. He became active in the Episcopal Diocese of Denver as a member of the Commission on Church Architecture and the Allied Arts, and was actively participating at St Johns Episcopal Church, the “Cathedral” church of Denver. One of many reasons he was hired was his travel experience to Nepal where he formed a very rich spiritual understanding of the peoples of another tradition, as well as his own love for all things sacred.
His passion also extended to the outdoors which made him a great hiker, climber and camper. These experiences helped to inform his dedication to a sustainable world for all people to enjoy. At work he easily became a strong advocate for all parts of sustainable architecture. His eagerness to climb all of the 14,000 foot peaks in Colorado became a goal equal to his desire to obtain his architectural license.

He was equally committed to the community of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) where he was devoted in his support and development of the Associate Architect. He published numerous articles and received many accolades. He championed committees and led special events. Most recently, he chaired the “Young Architects Awards Gala & Beaux Arts Ball” that was held in April of 2004.

In addition to his architectural work, he influenced our firm in many ways including serving as our unofficial advocate for community outreach. Community service and advocacy was emblazoned in his character. In Jason’s own words taken from his nomination for “Associate AIA Member of the Year Award,” submitted on his behalf in April 2004, “I believe service to our community is part of our responsibility as architects.”

National Associates Committee

Formed in October 2000, the National Associates Committee was a natural evolution of the Intern/Associate Committee, originally formed in 1993. Today, the National Associates Committee is a representative body of regional Associates directors, one from each of the AIA regions. Their mission is to represent Associates, both mainstream and alternative, providing information and leadership to every regional, state and local component. At the center of this mission is a desire to integrate the growing Associates community of the profession into a strong voice within the Institute.