Contact: Mike Richardson
An architecture student organization at Mississippi State University is again receiving recognition as best in the nation for 1997.
The campus chapter of the American Institute of Architecture Students is sharing first-place honors with the University of Hawaii. The honor is a repeat for the Mississippi State organization, which also took first-place honors in 1993 and is the only national chapter to twice earn the distinction.
Representing 123 chapters, the national organization annually chooses its most outstanding on the basis of membership increases, funding procedures and level of activity.
Chapter president Kevin Patterson of Madison said members "worked hard to have a nearly 100 percent increase in membership over the past year and to prove that a self-supported chapter can have just as much success as other (fully funded) chapters."
As one of their major projects, members constructed a convention booth to display student design works. The booth was selected to tour regional conferences, Patterson said.
Patterson, soon to become an AIAS regional director, said the organization promotes leadership by allowing students to become closely involved with practicing professionals.
Architecture Dean John McRae agreed, noting that Mississippi State has "established a tradition of leadership." He said the chapter has produced "a considerable number of officers in recent years, including the executive director, national president and vice president, and regional directors."
Chapter representatives travel to Denver in November to officially receive the award at the national AIAS annual conference.