AIA opens nominations for 2024 Medal of Academic Excellence Awards

Formerly known as the Henry Adams Medal, the Medal for Academic Excellence (MAE) was established by a Resolution in 1914, and AIA has recognized the top graduating students in National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) or Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB) accredited degrees, Bachelor of Architecture, Master of Architecture, or Doctor of Architecture since 1915. 

Today, AIA coordinates with more than 100 schools annually to recognize one graduate of each BArch, MArch, or DArch program, who displays "general excellence" throughout their academic career. In 2023, 134 award recipients across 107 institutions in the US, UAE and Canada were recognized. 

Empowering the next generation

“I was incredibly proud to get this award, which I will never forget,” said 2023 recipient Soniha Nuzrat, now an architectural associate at Ditez & Company Architects in Massachusetts. “The award was the ideal acknowledgement of my effort and dedication to the field of architecture. The tag gives me a lot of courage to take unique and beneficial actions for society.”  After receiving a MAE, Nuzrat went on to enter and place second in the AIA Ohio Student Design Award. She is currently working on a new construction project for a municipal annex building adjacent to a town hall, which includes public fitness space and office spaces for a police department. “This is my first project in the USA as an architect, and I am involved in the Schematic Design Process. This project is unique because it allows me to integrate my studio-based practice experience from my M.Arch program, where I could generate new concepts and present them to the client alongside our team.”

At Future Firm in Chicago, Philana Quan works as a designer. "On my first day, I began working on a public realm project that got the community to dream big about what their main commercial corridor could look like. It was rewarding to discuss with them their visions for the community and to design a space that everyone in the neighborhood deserved,” said Quan, was who surprised to be honored with the award last year. “I see this award as a recognition of the continued investment I've made in myself and the discipline of architecture. What the award did for me was give me an encouraging nod - to keep going, to have confidence in what I am capable of as I leave school and embark on my professional career.”

Fellow 2023 recipient Frances Gregor is now an architectural designer at Y.A. Studio in San Francisco. Her MAE medal hangs on her wall at home and “serves as a reminder that small steps now lead to my big goals in the future.” Gregor says the recognition from the award offered assurance as she transitioned from college to client-based work.  “I'm currently in a small team working on an affordable housing project in Oakland. I feel lucky to have found such a supportive firm to start my career and have the opportunity to be directly involved with our drawing sets, consultant coordination, conceptual design work, and client meetings,” said Gregor. 

Nominate a student 

AIA is currently accepting nominations from school officials for the 2024 Medal for Academic Excellence. Nominate a student today.