As we transition from summer—hopefully with a few pool or beach days behind you—I hope you’re feeling refreshed and ready for an exciting fall. There are some fantastic opportunities on the horizon, especially for young architects and emerging professionals.
First, I highly recommend attending the 2024 ArchEx. Caitlin Morgan, Virginia’s STAR and the newly announced 2024 AIA Virginia Associates Award winner, and I are thrilled to be presenting and helping with the programming. We’re excited to connect with colleagues from across the industry and hope to see many of you there! The local YAF teams have been working hard to organize some great programming for students, emerging professionals, and young architects, so keep an eye out for a detailed guide soon.
On a national level, the Young Architects Forum (YAF) is exploring whether it’s time for a rebrand to better reflect the evolving identity of architects within their first 10 years of licensure. With more flexible paths to licensure available, the term “young” does not fully capture the diversity of this group, as licensure can occur at any age, especially as more-and-more barriers to licensure get removed. Over the past year, YAF has conducted research and surveys to explore a potential name change. In talking with other state Young Architect Representatives, many of us have noticed that while the YAF’s national role is focused on recently licensed architects, local engagement often blends with Emerging Professionals and Associates. This overlap can help boost engagement through density of shared interests, but it also raises the question: how do we maintain a focus on architects in their first 10 years of licensure at every level of the AIA? YAF is working closely with AIA National on this renaming effort, and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to email me at erin@wparch.com.
In other exciting news, nominations are now open for the AIA National Young Architects Award! This is a fantastic opportunity to highlight someone you know who is doing exceptional work deserving of recognition at the national level. I’d love to see a Virginia architect win this year, so don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions or need assistance. The nomination period is open until November 15, 2024. For inspiration, you can learn about some of this year’s winners here.
Lastly, if you’re not already following the YAF on social media, I highly recommend doing so. It’s an easy way to stay informed on the latest news, events, and resources.
Looking forward to seeing many of you soon!
Best,
Erin
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