Letter from the President

April is Architecture Month in Virginia, a time to elevate public awareness, spotlight the power of design, and invite our communities into the conversation. Design shapes how people live, connect, and flourish. And while we as architects bring the expertise and creative vision, it’s the people we serve who breathe life into our work when we are gone. When we open our process to community members, stakeholders, advocates, and clients alike, we expand our impact.

Throughout April, we saw this in action across Virginia through walking tours, public exhibitions, student showcases, and community conversations that highlighted the profound ways architecture intersects with daily life. These weren’t just celebrations of our profession but reminders that our work matters most when it is rooted in the people and place to which it belongs.

As we look ahead, our focus is simple. Keep showing up, listen closely, and work alongside our community leaders to shape policies, programs, and places that reflect the needs and values of the people they serve. We must seize the opportunity to empower community voices and to advocate for policies and programs that prioritize thoughtful, inclusive, and sustainable design. The future of architecture doesn’t rely on architects alone, it also depends on the partnerships we build and the communities that champion design excellence along with us.

As we move into May, carry the spirit of Architecture Month forward. Step into conversations beyond the office and your current work. Look to partner with those clients and communities who share your values. Invite others into the process. When we design with instead of just for, we build something much greater than buildings. We build trust, shared purpose, and a better future for all.

Meagan W Jancy, AIA, LEED AP bd+c
President
AIA Virginia

Small Firm Exchange Updates

Recent resources released:


With the 2026 call for volunteers open, SFx is hosting a Zoom on May 27 for anyone interested in learning more about the Member Group and/or volunteering for 2026. Register>>

The Small Firm Exchange (SFx) seeks to advance the mutual interests of architects practicing in small firms. They advocate for small firms within AIA and outside organizations and agencies, promote leadership in small firm professional development and practice, and facilitate and support the local component roundtables and small firm networks. The SFX consists of a board and 53 state representatives.

Apply to SFX board through this annual call for volunteers. See the current SFX board and full position description on aia.org/sfx. (Apply to be a state representative via your state component in the fall (see current list here).

Time commitment:  Board terms are three (3) years with two (2) hour-long monthly conference calls. Expect to dedicate five (5) hours per month to this role. State Representative terms are two (2) years with one (1) hour-long monthly call. (Note: The SFX chair currently has registration and travel reimbursed for the AIA Leadership Summit.)  


Happening on the local front:

  • The SFx Central Virginia is conducting a speed mentoring event with AIA CV Emerging Professionals on May 29 from 5:30-6:30 at Alloy Workshop.
  • The newly formed SFx Central Virginia will host the Workshop for members in Charlottesville on June 20, 2025. More details to follow, but all are welcome. 


Mentor With Generosity

May always feels like a moment of transition. The days are longer, the weather is warmer, and within our profession, this season marks a meaningful turning point: graduation ceremonies, the start of summer internships, and the arrival of recent architecture graduates into our firms and studios.

For those of us already rooted in practice, it’s a timely reminder that we each play a role in shaping the pipeline of the profession. A one-on-one coffee break, a bit of feedback on a design exercise, or even just making space at the table can leave a lasting impact on a young designer’s sense of belonging—and their belief in what’s possible.

Whether you are hosting interns, onboarding emerging professionals, or simply sharing what you’ve learned along the way of your own journey, this is the season to show up generously. These early experiences can set the tone for a career. They also reflect who we are as a profession and who we hope to become.

As we move into summer, I encourage all of you to think about how we might offer guidance, encouragement, for the next generation of architects. Mentorship can take many forms, and it starts with intention.

To that end, I’d like to share a thoughtful piece written by a friend and colleague (Jack Whalen, Delaware Young Architect Representative), on the different types of mentorship—and how we can all show up to the season of opportunity for interns and recent graduates: https://www.aia.org/aia-architect/article/how-be-exemplary-mentor

Erin Agdinaoay, AIA, NOMA
Young Architects Representative

Design Awards Jury Chair Announced

Andrew Chin, Assoc. AIA will serve as the chair of this year’s Design Awards Jury. Andrew is Dean of the School of Architecture & Engineering Technology (SAET) at Florida A&M University (FAMU).

He holds a Bachelor of Design and a Master of Architecture from the University of Florida and a Master of Science in Urban & Regional Planning from Florida State University. Since 1991, he has taught design studios, urban design, and thesis research at the University of Florida, Georgia Institute of Technology, and FAMU.

Chin’s scholarship focuses on the intersection of race and urban form in North Florida communities and has attracted over $2 million in external funding from federal, state, and foundation sources. His contributions to architectural education have been recognized by organizations such as the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA), reflecting a sustained commitment to equity, design justice, and community engagement.

Andrew will be inviting professionals and academics to join him on the jury. We look forward to celebrating these achievements at our annual Visions for Architecture Gala on Thursday, November 6, 2025, during Architecture Exchange East.

Entries for the 2025 Design Awards are open until June 27, 2025. For more information and to submit>>

Newly Licensed

We understand the dedication and effort required to study for and pass the ARE. Congratulations to the following members for passing their exams and gaining licensure. This is great news that thrills all of us and we are so proud to call you an architect!

Zachary Britton, AIA (Blue Ridge)
Caitlin A. Caum, AIA (Central Virginia)

Have you recently passed the ARE? Upgrade your membership to Architect using this AIA form. or send an email to your Member Services Director, Cathy Guske, cguske@aiava.org

Are you ready to get licensed? AIA Virginia has discounted 60-day Amber Book subscriptions. Read more about it here>>

Support our Associate members on their path to licensure with your support of the discounted Amber Book subscription. Donate to the AIA Virginia Foundation

Have questions about licensure? Contact AIA Virginia’s State Licensing Advisor, Gina Robinson, AIA, at gina.robinson@hdrinc.com

New Members

We are always excited to welcome new members to Virginia. The following members recently joined the ranks of AIA Virginia.

New Architect Members
Gwenedd Murray, AIA (Central Virginia)
Emily Wright, AIA (Northern Virginia)

New Associate Members
Scott Cowell, Assoc. AIA (Northern Virginia)
Faye Davies, Assoc. AIA (Northern Virginia)
Rezaul Khan, Assoc. AIA (Northern Virginia)
Yichun Xu, Assoc. AIA (Northern Virginia)

Transfers into AIA Virginia
Mehedi Hasan Bappi, Assoc. AIA (Northern Virginia) from AIA Maryland
Scott Cowell, Assoc. AIA (Northern Virginia) from AIA Maryland
Spencer S. Sear, AIA (Northern Virginia) from AIA Washington DC

New/Renewed Allied Members
View all of the AIA Virginia Allied members

Birthday Postcard Design Contest

Here’s your chance to design the next AIA Virginia member birthday postcard! AIA Virginia will feature your design on the front of the birthday postcards sent to all members since 2018.

Enter your design(s) for a chance to win a free registration to AIA Virginia’s 2025 annual conference, Architecture Exchange East.

Entries are welcome from AIA Virginia members, Virginia architecture program students, or other architecture firm employees.

Specifications:
Size: 4 inches tall by 6 inches wide
File type: high-resolution .jpg files
all color palettes welcome!

Entries are due by June 30, 2025.

Enter your design>>

Questions??? Email Cathy Guske, cguske@aiava.org

past designs/examples:

2025 Fellows Fête

Fellows in the Region of the Virginia’s recently gathered in Virginia Beach for their annual gathering, this year organized by Jane Rathbone, FAIA, at Hanbury. The weekend was filled with really interesting events, including tours of the historic Cavalier hotel renovation and restoration, along with the almost completed Atlantic Park Wave and theater venue, designed by Hanbury. The annual dinner was held at the Brock Environmental Center, owned by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, with breakfast the morning after at the Cavalier hotel. 

Call for Nominations: AIA Virginia Honors 2025

Do you have a colleague or a friend of the industry who deserves recognition? Is there a firm with a great culture that consistently produces incredible work? Is there a building that has captured your heart? Consider nominating them for an AIA Virginia Honor.   

Nominations for all AIA Virginia honors may be made by individual members, by chapter honors committees, by AIA Virginia committees, or by the Board of Directors itself.

More information and submission instructions>>

The deadline is Friday, June 13, 2025, at 5 p.m.

Launching AIA Virginia’s SME Portal

In response to a desire that has been emerging in several pockets of our organization, we are launching a portal through which members can indicate and self-report their interest and expertise in a wide range of subjects. And you are hereby warmly welcomed to enter your information.

We will use the information gathered through this portal as an internal rolodex; to be used within the organization. Members’ interests can be consulted when we are considering and developing programs and events. And individual member’s expertise can be more readily identified when we want to access that specific knowledge for not only our programs and events, but also towards the interests of our strategic partners and stakeholders (e.g., allied organizations, elected officials, policymakers).

Please note that through the SME Portal, you are encouraged to indicate your interests and/or expertise as an individual.  (The expertise and experience of your firm should be commended to the Firm Directory; which is public facing.)

Your cooperation is much appreciated – as is the cultivation of your interests and your expertise.  Keep up the great work.