First-Year Architecture Student Wins AIA Scholarship

Chelsea Powell, a first-year student in UC's top-ranked architecture program, has won a $2,000 scholarship from the AIA.

University of Cincinnati first-year architecture student Chelsea Powell, 18, of West Carrollton, Ohio, is designing a winning record for herself in the university's top-ranked architecture program.

Chelsea Powell
Chelsea Powell in studio.

Chelsea, a spring 2007 graduate of Miami Valley High School, has won a competitive $2,000 scholarship from both the Dayton Chapter and the national chapter of the American Institute of Architects. This AIA scholarship comes on top of an annual scholarship award of $2,000 she's already won via UC's Cincinnatus Scholarship Competition.

According to Chelsea, the payoff from this AIA scholarship goes far beyond the financial assistance. She explained, "The best part about winning the scholarship is that it made me feel more confident. A whole AIA committee had faith in me and my potential to be an architect when I'm not so sure myself."

Chelsea won the award after submitting a competitive essay on her academic and professional goals - goals that relate to green building and sustainability. "Looking ahead right now," said Chelsea, "I want to focus on building sustainably."

She already has some construction experience, having volunteered with rehabbing and repair projects on homes in Athens County, Ohio. In fact, that volunteer experience helped to lead her to UC and her current major of architecture. "The practical construction experience made me curious. Why do some houses last and others not. Some withstand age and weather very well while others don't," stated Chelsea.

She's begun to find the answers to such questions since starting her college career in UC's internationally recognized College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning in September. So, far Chelsea has been part of innovative studio projects, including one in which teams of first-year students are required to design and construct musical instruments out of old appliances. The students then compose original music which they then perform in an "appliance instrument concert."

"It was so much fun," Chelsea claimed. "It was crazy busy and crazy challenging, but in the end, it sounded good, and our performance was in sync."

She added, "So far, I love everything about the architecture coursework and program. The studio atmosphere is cool. We collaborate in big and small groups, everyone mixing together. I'm having to stretch myself to meet all the challenges, but I guess that's the best part."