With the exception of the Gold Medal, Fellowship is the highest honor the AIA can bestow on a member. Elevation to Fellowship not only recognizes the outstanding achievements of the architect as an individual but also elevates before the public and the profession a model architect who has made significant contribution to architecture and society. Less than 5 percent of AIA members are elected. To date, 75 Colorado Fellows have been elected since 1886, including five in the past two years. Less than 100 are elected annually nationwide.

There are many more deserving candidates in Colorado that simply need to be identified and encouraged to pursue the two-step process of nomination and election. For the past 10 years, the AIA Colorado Fellows Task Force has been actively assisting all four Colorado chapters in initiating efforts to identify, encourage, and nominate potential candidates. AIA Colorado does not nominate candidates. Each of the four Colorado local chapters conduct a nomination process. AIA Denver has established a nomination process that closely follows the Fellows jury criteria, which most Colorado chapters are beginning to follow.

The nomination process begins now! Although a nomination process involving letters from several other Fellows can be utilized, nomination by your chapter has the most significant impact with the Fellows Jury. Currently, each chapter completes their nomination process by late spring. Once nominated, the AIA Colorado Fellows Task Force conducts a series of work sessions beginning in June to educate and assist the nominees in the preparation of their submittal to the Fellows Jury. The submission is typically due in October. Announcements are made in February of the following year.

Please help identify and encourage potential candidates by forwarding names to your local AIA Chapter for consideration.

Contact:

Heidi Gordon

Director of Local Chapters

AIA Colorado

303.446.2266, ext. 115