The following is a press release from AIA announcing the new scholarship grant.
The Architects Foundation is receiving a permanent endowment from The American Institute of Architects’ Custom Residential Architects Network (CRAN) to fund additional Diversity Advancement Scholarship recipients.
Through its $150,000 gift, CRAN will support a minority architecture student who shows interest in residential architecture as a career path by funding their college experience with $20,000 to be distributed evenly over the course of up to 5 years.
“CRAN is pleased to further the educational needs of future residential architects,” said 2019 CRAN Chair Mary S. Cerrone, AIA. “The positive experience from this first scholarship investment prompted CRAN to invest more fully in the education of future minority architects.”
This is not the first time CRAN has supported the Diversity Advancement Scholarship. Last year, the CRAN Legacy Committee—a volunteer group comprised of the knowledge community’s past chairs—gave $20,000 to support one scholar in 2018.
“This very generous gift from CRAN has set the stage for new foundation pillars of giving focused on scholarships in perpetuity” said Architects Foundation President James Walbridge, AIA. “Our board has created a fundraising campaign called ‘Pillars for the Future.’ Each pillar represents one Diversity Advancement Scholarship in perpetuity. ‘With this gift, CRAN has become the foundation pillar. We are so delighted to have CRAN as our partner in this effort to attract, inspire and invest in a diverse next-generation design community.”
The Architects Foundation has been working to expand the Diversity Advancement Scholarship. Last week, the Foundation awarded ten minority students entering or transferring to accredited architecture programs with scholarships.
Applications for the 2020-2021 Diversity Advancement Scholarship will open in fall 2019. Complete details are available on the Foundations website.
Individuals and organizations interested in creating a lasting impact to support and empower a diverse next-generation design community are encouraged to contact the Architects Foundation.