AUGUSTA — The Maine Chapter of the American Institute of Architects recently provided a gift in excess of $10,000 to establish a special fund for the Bachelor of Architecture program at the University of Maine at Augusta.
The funding will support a variety of activities within the program, including drawing guest speakers, providing special programing and defraying student conference costs. Additionally, the money will support student scholarships and faculty initiatives.
AIA Maine President Jesse Thompson and Treasurer John Morris recently presented the check to Staci Warren, UMA director of annual giving and alumni relations.
“This was an opportunity to further our mission and support future Maine architects,” said Thompson, “as well as acknowledge the excellent Bachelor of Architecture program available at UMA.”
Eric Stark, architecture program coordinator and an associate professor of architecture at UMA said the gift “will further our ability to teach architecture through engagement opportunities and empower students to explore the built environment in a variety of ways.”
AIA Maine has previously supported the prgram by establishing in 2012 an endowed scholarship, the AIA Maine Centenary Scholarship Fund, for students seeking to study architecture at UMA as part of AIA Maine’s 100-year anniversary.
The Bachelor of Architecture program at UMA is the only five-year professional architecture degree program in Maine, and provides students with a path towards architectural licensure. The program faculty teach architecture through engagement, educating and empowering students to explore, investigate, and analyze the built environment. Engagement brings students into active contact with each other, their coursework, and community partners across Maine.
PHOTO: From left, John Morris and Jesse Thompson, of the Maine Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, present a check to Staci Warren, UMA director of annual giving, that will suppor tthe Bachelor of Architecture program at University of Maine Augusta. (AIA Maine and UMA photo)
