The American Institute of Architects selected ten recipients to receive the 2015 Jason Pettigrew Memorial ARE Scholarship. These ten recipients displayed a passion for the pursuit of licensure, inspiring statements of contribution to the profession and community, and outstanding achievement in the creation, development, and delivery of programs and initiatives for young architect members. All of the recipients were supported by strong letters of recommendation detailing their personal and professional contributions. Each recipient will receive compensation for the entire cost of the Architect Registration Examination (ARE) and a full set of study guides provided by Kaplan Architecture Education.

2015 Jason Pettigrew Memorial ARE Scholarship recipients:

Beatrice Spolidoro, Assoc. AIA, is a 2011 graduate from the University Politecnico of Milano in Italy, with a Master’s Degree in Architecture. She regularly volunteers at the AIA Pittsburgh chapter and for the Young Architect Forum (YAF) of Pittsburgh. Spolidoro is the recipient of the Young Architect Studio Competition, 2012 edition. She has been working as an Intern for the Pittsburgh based architectural firm Rothschild Doyno Collaborative since 2012. She has been involved in projects that aim to rebuild communities and align the goals of many Pittsburgh neighborhoods. In addition to helping the design development, she has been focusing in the storytelling of such projects and in facilitating the delivery of complex concepts.

Elizabeth Grabowski, Assoc. AIA, is a Challenge Detroit Fellow 2014-2015 with Mosher Dolan, Inc., a high-end boutique construction management firm that specializes in residential building. Challenge Detroit is a yearlong professional development and urban revitalization fellowship that invites approximately 30 of tomorrow's leaders to live, work, play, give, and lead in and around Detroit. Throughout her year as a fellow, Grabowski has contributed to projects ranging from design-build installations to developing social media and marketing strategies with over seven local nonprofits. As a graduate of the University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) School of Architecture Master’s Program, Grabowski's passion for public interest design and community development was cultivated by the UDM mission to serve others.

Megan Paris, Assoc. AIA, is a 2013 graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Architecture and Design with a Bachelor of Architecture degree. She is currently the Associate Representative for the AIA East Tennessee chapter, where she coordinates ARE seminars and a mentorship program with the local AIAS chapter. She has worked with local AIA members and public school teachers to create AIA Think, a program that brings the design process to the classroom through video. Paris collaborated with local USGBC members to organize a community design event call “Design Slam”, a live competition centered on a neighborhood design issue. Paris is an intern architect at McCarty Holsaple McCarty in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Esther Garcia, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP BD+C, received her Master’s in Architecture from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. With UNLV’s 2013 Solar Decathlon team, Garcia rendered concepts for renewable residential designs and educated the public toward the virtues of energy-saving construction. Garcia is very active in her community, having been a team leader in the National Rebuilding Together Day where homes are refurbished for low-income homeowners while volunteering for other worthy causes such as Opportunity Village, Helping Kids Clinic, and Angel Faces Project. Garcia also mentors and judges in the High School Design Awards, a program sponsored by the AIA, Las Vegas chapter to discover and develop new talent from Clark County High Schools.

Anthony Rojas, Assoc. AIA, is currently the lead designer at Dal Pos Architects, LLC in Syracuse, New York. With over 8 years of professional experience, he is responsible for the implementation of design strategies and solutions for various project types which include Retail/Commercial, Healthcare, and Multi-Unit Residential. He currently serves as Board Member and Director of Education for AIA-Central New York. As a leader in the Emerging Professionals Committee since 2013, he strives to engage and provide a multitude of opportunities, both professionally and socially, to all members throughout Central New York. A graduate of Florida International University in 2007, Rojas has a Bachelor’s Degree of Arts in Architecture.

Danielle E. McDonough, Assoc. AIA, is currently an architectural designer at Cambridge Seven Associates in Cambridge, MA. After receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Architecture with a minor in Communications from Northeastern University, McDonough was elected as the national Vice President for the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) and moved to Washington, DC. After her tenure, she pursued a Master’s degree in Architecture from the University of Michigan. There she served as a graduate student representative on the Architectural Representative Committee to Taubman College as well as taught design fundamentals to undergraduate students. Also during her time in Michigan, she served as the student director for AIA Michigan.

Allison Conley, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP, AIA Henry Adams Gold Medal recipient, received her Master of Architecture degree from Washington University in St. Louis and a Bachelor of Science in Interior Architecture from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Conley has worked and studied internationally in Paris, Buenos Aires and Singapore and was awarded the Benn-Johnck Award by AIA Chicago for her thesis upon graduation. Currently an architectural designer at Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill in Chicago, she focuses on high performance and energy efficient architecture. Her portfolio includes the Astana World Expo 2017 and high-end residential towers in New York and Boston. She is a mentor with ACE Mentor Chicago inspiring high school students to pursue careers in design and construction, and serves as a guest critic for the Chicago Studio.

Beau Frail, Assoc. AIA, is a committed advocate and leader of community-based design in Austin, Texas. Frail served as the Chairman of the community outreach component of his local AIA Austin chapter, the DesignVoice committee, and continues to be active leading its mission. Beau is currently a Project Manager at Dick Clark + Associates specializing in custom residential and retail projects and most recently was honored as the 2015 recipient of the AIA Austin Emerging Professional Honor Award. Frail received his Master of Architecture from the University of Texas at Austin and his Bachelor of Design in Architecture from the University of Florida.

Jared Hueter, Assoc. AIA, is a graduate of the Fay Jones School of Architecture at the University of Arkansas. Hueter was actively involved in the rebuilding efforts in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. Jared worked as the Dean of Design of the Priestley Charter School of Architecture and Construction developing an integrated high school design curriculum. Hueter has served as AIA Gulf States Regional Associate Director, AIA National Associates Committee Director, and Board Member of the Gert Town Revival Initiative. Hueter has been awarded the ACSA Collaborative Practice Award, the Design Corps Design for the Underserved Award, AmeriCorps VISTA Service Award, Alpha Rho Chi Medal, and was featured in Architect magazine’s article The Millennials.

John Dealey, Assoc. AIA, graduated from the University of Virginia, where he received a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture and supplementary degrees in Urban Planning & Architectural History. Also during his time at UVA, he partnered with a team to design an internationally recognized solution to disaster resilient housing in earthquake torn Haiti. As a member of AIA Civic Lab & AIA Grassroots, Dealey works to build awareness and congressional support for policy issues that directly affect his community. In alignment with his pursuit for architectural registration, Dealey aims to use his tacit knowledge of commercial development, construction management, and urban design to launch a development firm which perceptively evaluates existing communities and partners with them to create greater livability and cohesion.