NOMA Announces NFF and Prescott Reavis Grant Winners 2024

National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) Initiatives to Diversify the Architecture Field Connect 43 Young Professionals with Summer Internship Opportunities and Resources

NOMA announces its 2024 NOMA Future Faces cohort and Prescott Reavis Historically Black Colleges and Universities Professional Development Program grant recipients

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 27, 2024 — As part of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) efforts to foster opportunities between underrepresented students studying architecture and architecture firms, NOMA announces its sixth cohort of the NOMA Future Faces Fellowship (NFF) and its third group of Prescott Reavis Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Professional Development Program (PDP) grant recipients. This summer, 43 students and recent graduates gained professional development experiences and internships across the country at architecture firms, further bridging the gap between underrepresented students and the architectural profession and offering a pathway towards future employment in the field. 

“We are working hard so that the future of architecture reflects the face of this nation. When only two percent of architects identify as Black and 17 percent identify as women, it’s crucial that we make strides to improve these statistics, moving us closer to achieving equal representation in the field,” says Pascale Sablan, FAIA, NOMA, LEED AP, 2023-2024 NOMA President and Chief Executive Officer, New York Studio, Adjaye Associates. “NOMA programs such as NFF and HBCU PDP provide professional experiences through fellowship, mentorship, and networking. These impactful initiatives expose, support, and give industry-relevant advantages to young BIPOC designers, who represent our future in the profession.”

NOMA Future Faces (NFF) 2024

NFF is a two-month summer fellowship hosted at leading architecture firms across the country, running from June 3 – July 26, 2024. This year, 25 fellows engaged in design research, project work, and firm mentorship, for many of whom it was their first internship experience. They also received a $2,450 relocation reimbursement and are eligible to receive a $1,000 licensure stipend once they become a licensed architect. 

The program, with a purpose to develop and propel forward the next generation of Black and minority architects who will be designing for the future, plays a crucial role in providing valuable professional experience to underrepresented students. 

NFF stands out as the inaugural initiative following the introduction of the American Institute of Architects Large Firm Round Table (AIA LFRT) 2030 Diversity Challenge. This challenge urged the architectural industry to elevate the count of licensed Black architects from 2,300 to 5,000 by 2030, effectively doubling the representation from two percent to approximately four percent of licensed architects in the United States. The AIA LFRT has committed its funding through 2030, specifically aimed at expanding the fellowship program. The funding enables NOMA to award and support a greater number of fellows.

To date, 121 fellows have been placed at 114 firms, with students representing 89 colleges and universities across the U.S.

The 2024 summer fellowship cohort, which was open to all National Organization of Minority Architecture Students (NOMAS) members in good standing, includes the following architecture students and graduates placed at design firms across the U.S.:

• Amaya Moss, Prairie View A&M University at Populous
• Andrea Muchori, Iowa State University at DLR Group
• Asya Mcdaniel, University of Missouri-Columbia at Solomon Cordwell Buenz
• Avery Vuong, California Polytechnic State University at NAC
• Brad Hughes, Arizona State University at Multistudio
• Brice Gutshall, University of Louisiana at Lafayette at Ennead Architects
• Caleb Kwok, Illinois Institute of Technology at Perkins&Will
• Derek Davis, University of California, Berkeley at LPA Design Studios
• Dilara Yesilte, New York Institute of Technology at HLW International LLP
• Elise Baranco, University of Louisiana at Lafayette at CannonDesign
• Elise Park, New York Institute of Technology at Bjarke Ingels Group
• Ethan Taylor, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte at McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture
• Isabella Gallitto, Cornell University at LS3P
• Jerund Sanders, Louisiana State University at Populous
• Kaitlyn Dacpano, University of Texas at Arlington at Page
• Kaleb Jenkins, Louisiana State University at KTGY
• Kashka Senat, Wentworth Institute of Technology at ZGF Architects
• Laiqa Gitosuputro, Ohio State University at Hord Coplan Macht
• Nke Adwowa Opoku, New York Institute of Technology at MG2 Corporation
• Noelle Robinson, North Carolina State University at SmithGroup
• Rosalinda Adams, City College of New York at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
• Rushali Joshi, Illinois Institute of Technology at HED
• Syndee Crawford, Howard University at HDR
• Worlikema Golijikaye, North Dakota State University at The SLAM Collaborative 
• Youssef Hachchane, Southern California Institute of Architecture at Corgan

“Being named as an NFF Fellow means to be a voice and a champion for developing and propelling the next generation of Black and minority architects who will be designing for the future,” said 2024 NFF fellow Nke Adwowa Opoku, a student at New York Institute of Technology. “This is an affirmation that architecture is the right field for me.”

The first NFF fellow to become a licensed architect is Malachi Pursley. A student at Louisiana State University and member of the LSU NOMAS Chapter, Pursley was a fellow in the 2020 summer cohort, working at host firm Ennead Architects. He became a licensed architect in 2024 in New York and currently works at Corgan.  

The Prescott Reavis Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Professional Development Program (PDP) Grant

NOMA’s Historically Black College & University (HBCU) Professional Development Program (PDP) was launched in 2020 by partnering with the seven HBCUs with accredited architecture programs to advance equity in the architecture and design industry. The program aims to assist in building a pipeline of HBCU students with award-winning firms across the country, support students from HBCUs in securing entry-level positions with these large-scale architecture firms, and develop a community of professionals in architecture that will continue to support equity and diversity within the profession through continued mentorship of students from HBCUs.

Each year, the HBCU PDP develops a series of workshops and seminars for students and firms to participate in throughout the year. These monthly events focus on topics ranging from interviewing tips to salary negotiations, a speed networking workshop, and a career fair. To recognize students for their commitment to the HBCU PDP program, the Prescott Reavis Grant was established. The Prescott Reavis Grants are awarded based on each student’s active involvement in the program, their demonstrated financial need, and their commitment to giving back.

The grant, made possible by the generous donations of the HBCU PDP firm sponsors, is in honor of Prescott Reavis (1972-2022), NOMA, NCARB, LEED AP, SEED, an HBCU architecture graduate, NOMA leader, spatial activist, architect, planner, award-winning educator, and a dedicated supporter of architecture students and emerging professionals. To celebrate his contributions to the industry and legacy, the Prescott Reavis HBCU PDP grants are awarded to support the repayment of student loans, moving expenses, cost of living expenses for interns working in cities away from home, and other expenses that can be associated with the transition from school to the profession. Managed by the NOMA Charitable Education Foundation, grants are awarded based on an individual student’s HBCU PDP participation, demonstrated need, and recognition of the need to give back through their pursuit of the field of architecture. Since the grant was established in 2022, 28 grantees have been awarded.

The twelve 2024 Prescott Reavis HBCU PDP grant recipients include:

• Ariel Head, Prairie View A&M University
• Arriel Barganier, Howard University
• Bria Miller, Howard University
• Calla Adams, Hampton University
• Chris Gilbert, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
• Dallas Brooks, Howard University
• Isaiah Lee, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
• Jayden Woullard, Tuskegee University
• Kayla Cuffy, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
• Kaylah Phillips, Prairie View A&M University
• Markaysa Lipscomb-Miller, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
• Sierra Espinoza, Howard University

“Reflecting on the profound impact Mr. Prescott Reavis had on everyone he encountered fills me with a deep sense of aspiration,” said 2024 Prescott Reavis HBCU PDP grant recipient Kaylah Phillips, a student at Prairie View A&M University. “I am inspired to strive for that level of influence in the lives of those who surround me. Receiving his grant is not only an honor, but a reminder of the legacy I aim to build. As I progress in my professional journey, I will keep his spirit alive through my actions.”

For more information on the NFF and HBCU PDP programs, please visit NOMA Future Faces Fellows and NOMA HBCU Professional Development Program.