Contact: Sammy McDavid
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Nearly 35 current and recently graduated architecture majors hold honors for outstanding achievements during their study in Mississippi State University's College of Architecture, Art and Design.
Established in 1973, the college is the only one of its kind in the state. Some 250 architecture majors usually are enrolled in the five-year undergraduate curriculum; four in Starkville and a final year in Jackson for transition to the profession's daily realities.
Since its beginning, the architecture program has emphasized small towns and continually uses local and state locations as teaching tools--an emphasis that sets it apart from traditional urban-based programs. Graduates have distinguished themselves in advanced study at top graduate schools, as well as in professional careers throughout the United States.
In addition to the students, veteran architecture professor Michael A. Berk was honored with the annual $500 Allen & Holshall Faculty Award and the 2006 Tau Sigma Delta Faculty Book Award. The first tribute recognizes teaching excellence; the second, a presentation by third- and fourth-year students to the teacher "who has inspired them to excellence."
Berk, a University of Florida graduate, is a recognized authority in ecological design and sustainability. He also recently was named as the F.L. Crane Endowed Professor of Architecture in recognition of his research, outreach and teaching accomplishments.
The architecture majors honored at the conclusion of the spring semester for various outstanding achievements during the 2005-06 school year include (by hometown, with additional information in brackets):
BAILEY--Micheal B. Rose, receiving the Second Year Faculty Book Award in Design Excellence. The 1999 West Lauderdale High School graduate is the son of Kenny and Barbara Rogers. [The award recognizes one or more students "who have had the most influence on second-year design classes."]
BARTLETT, Tenn.--Sophomore Michael Winter, receiving the Angelo "Pops" Primos Computer Scholarship. He is a 2005 Bolton High School graduate and the son of Wiley and Teresa Winter. [The award, which covers the purchase of some required design software, was established by Mrs. Mildred Primos Smith to honor her father.]
BELZONI--Charles J. Holmes, receiving the $1,000 Stephanie M. Pizzetta Endowed Scholarship. The son of Georgette Holmes, he is a 2002 Humphreys County High School graduate. [Pizzetta, a 1983 MSU architecture graduate who now is senior associate with the New York firm of Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer, established the scholarship in 2001 to honor a top student completing the second year of design studio training.]
CARROLLTON--Lauren A. Bankston, receiving the $1,000 Matt L. Virden III Memorial Scholarship. She is the daughter of Waymon and Judy Bankston and a 2002 Carroll Academy graduate. [Established in 1994 by the M.L. Virden family to honor their late architect son, the annual award is designated for a rising junior from any of 18 Mississippi Delta counties.]
CLARKSDALE--Moses M. Sayles, receiving the $1,500 Studio South Architects Annual Scholarship. He is the son of Katherine Russell and a 2002 Clarksdale High School graduate. [Honoring a top student entering the fifth-year program in Jackson, the award was established in 2001 by Taylor Guild III and Chet Allred, co-managers of the Mississippi Gulf Coast-based architectural firm.]
CLINTON--Charles "Chip" Jones, receiving the $1,000 Holloman Architects Scholarship. A 2001 Clinton High School graduate, he is the son of Charles Jones of Monticello and Joye Jones of Clinton. [Established by alumnus Bud Holloman, the scholarship is awarded to a student entering the fifth year of study.]
COLUMBUS--Senior Ralph Eide, receiving the $2,000 Ferretti/Karnstedt Scholarship. He is the son of Barbara Pollard. [Made possible by longtime MSU benefactors John and Jutta Ferretti of Shelby, the award was established in 2002 to recognize and encourage continued academic achievement and leadership among rising architecture majors.]
CORINTH--Senior Samuel Vargas, receiving the $1,000 Associated Builders & Contractors Scholarship. [The award to a top design student is sponsored by the Arlington, Va-based national trade association.] [Parent and high school information not available.]
DIAMONDHEAD--Graduating senior Daniel Hamburg, receiving the American Institute of Architects' Henry Adams Medal. He is the son of Raymond and Phyllis Hamburg and a 2001 Hancock High School graduate. [The Adams Medal recognizes "general excellence" and is the highest award presented to a bachelor's degree candidate by the college faculty.]
ELLISVILLE--Incoming freshman Kaci Robinson, receiving the $3,000 Fred Carl Sr. Memorial Scholarship. A 2006 South Jones High School graduate, she is the daughter of Rhonda Robinson. [The scholarship was established by major college benefactor Fred Carl Jr., president of Greenwood-based Viking Range Corp., to honor his late father.]
FLOWOOD--Graduating senior Erin Holden, receiving the 2006 Alpha Rho Chi Medal and the Academic Achievement Award. She is the daughter of William and Ronda Holden and a 2001 East Rankin Academy graduate. [Alpha Rho Chi is the professional fraternity for architecture majors; awarded by the architecture faculty, the medal recognizes "leadership, willing service the college and the promise of future professional merit through attitude and personality." The Academic Achievement Award recognizes the architecture major with the highest cumulative MSU grade-point average.]
GREENVILLE--Incoming freshman Andrew Tucker, receiving the $1,000 Hoskins and Giattina Fisher Aycock Scholarship. A 2006 Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science graduate, he is the son of Craig and Melanie Tucker. [Established in 2003 by college alumnus Creig B. Hoskins and others at the Birmingham, Ala., architecture firm of Giattina Fisher Aycock, the award recognizes a promising student from the North Delta region of Mississippi entering the college's design studio program.]
GREENWOOD--Sophomore Mercedes Sullivan, receiving the $1,000 T. Steven Davis Scholarship. A 2005 Greenwood High School graduate, he is the son of Herman and Quentella Sullivan. [Davis, an MSU graduate now vice president of the Jackson architectural firm of Canizaro Cawthon Davis, established the award in 2001 to recognize a top minority student enrolling in the architecture program.]
HATTIESBURG--Incoming freshman Kimberly Ladner, receiving the $1,000 Fulcher-Bailey Annual Scholarship. A 2006 Oak Grove High School graduate, she is the daughter of Ken and Brenda Ladner. [The award is named for the late MSU alumnus Luther H. "Harry" Fulcher and Samuel M. Bailey (and their wives), founders of Jackson Stone Co.]
HORN LAKE--Graduating senior Justin Zahner, receiving a Jurists Award in Design Excellence. The son of James and Debra Meziere, he is a 2001 Horn Lake High School graduate. [The award recognizes "students achieving the greatest personal growth as designers, and whose work has contributed to the overall success of the fifth-year program."]
HUNTSVILLE, Ala.--Kathryn C. Dyer, receiving the $2,000 Mockbee Hall & Drake Scholarship. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas T. Dyer (ZIP code 35801) and a 2001 Huntsville High School graduate. [The award was established in 2003 by David Mockbee and other members of his Jackson architectural firm to recognize an academically achieving student entering the fifth-year program where Mockbee also teaches.]
JACKSON--Jesse R. O'Quinn, receiving the $500 National Organization of Minority Architecture Student Scholarship and the Angelo "Pops" Primos Computer Scholarship. The 2005 Jim Hill High School graduate is the son of Ramona O'Quinn (ZIP code 39206). [The NOMAS award is presented to an achieving architecture major completing the first-year design studio program. The Primos award, which covers the cost of some required design software, was established by Mrs. Mildred Primos Smith to honor her father.]
LAUREL--Graduating senior William "Bill" Holloway, receiving a Jurists Award in Design Excellence. A 1999 graduate of West Jones High School, he is the son of Steven and Lynelle Holloway. [The award recognizes "students achieving the greatest personal growth as designers, and whose work has contributed to the overall success of the fifth-year program."]
MACON, Ga.--Senior Jason B. Schrader, receiving the Charles Calvo Memorial Digital Media Design Award. The son of Steven Schrader and Lillian Talcott, he is a 2001 Central Cabarrus High School graduate. [Charles Calvo, who died in 2000 at age 42, directed the college's Digital Research and Imaging Laboratory.]
MACON--Elizabeth Pearson, receiving an honorable mention certificate in the Pella Design Competition and the Mississippi Concrete Industries Association Design Award. She is the daughter of Andrew and Sally Pearson and a 2002 Columbus High School graduate. [Sponsored by the Iowa-based Pella Corp., the Pella Competition is a semester-long challenge among fourth-year majors. The MCIA award is determined on the basis of design excellence with particular sensitivity to materials.]
MADISON, Ala.--Senior Chandler P. Overcash, receiving the $1,000 Boral Brick Design Award and a $2,000 first-place award in the TrimJoist Competition. The son of Tommy and Debbie Overcash, he is a 2003 Bob Jones High School graduate. [The Boral award is provided by Boral Brick Inc., which has manufacturing facilities throughout the Southeast and Southwest. Established in 2003 by the Columbus-based TrimJoist Corp., the TrimJoist Competition provides traveling fellowships to students studying sustainable building design.]
NEW ALBANY--Senior William Stanford, receiving the $1,000 Charles H. Dean Jr. Endowed Scholarship. He is the son of Allen and Carla Stanford and a 2002 W.P. Daniel High School graduate. [The scholarship was established by Jackson architect Richard Dean as a memorial to his late father.]
NEW MADRID, Mo.--Daniel Perschbacher, receiving an honorable mention in the Pella Traveling Fellowship Competition. The 2001 New Madrid County Central High School graduate is the son of William and Deborah Perschbacher. [Sponsored by the Iowa-based Pella Corp., the fellowship honors the winner of a semester-long design competition among fourth-year students.]
OLIVE BRANCH--Austin Barnes, receiving the Tau Sigma Delta Freshman Design and First-Year Faculty Book awards. The 2003 Olive Branch High School graduate is the son of Ronald and Helen Barnes. [Tau Sigma Delta is the national honor society of architecture and applied arts. Selected by first-year faculty, the book award is presented to the freshman who has exhibited the greatest excellence in design.]
PENSACOLA, Fla.--Lindsay B. Hamilton, receiving the $1,000 Architectural Foundation of Mississippi Design Excellence Award. She is the daughter of Hugh and Sandy Hamilton (ZIP code 32504) and a 2004 B.T. Washington High School graduate. [The award is presented to a student completing the second year of study.]
RIDGELAND--Senior Varuni Kern, receiving the $500 Pryor & Morrow Endowed Scholarship. She is the daughter of Katherine Kern and a 2000 Northwest Rankin High School graduate. [The scholarship is made possible by MSU alumnus Morrow, partner Roger Pryor and other employees of Pryor & Morrow Architects in Jackson.]
SALTILLO--Graduating senior Adam Smith, receiving the American Institute of Architects Henry Adams Certificate. He is the son of Robert and Diane McLarty and a 2001 Tupelo Christian School graduate. [The second-highest award for a graduating senior, the AIA Adams Certificate recognizes "general excellence" throughout the required five years of study.]
SOUTHAVEN--Mark Talley, receiving an honorable mention for the First-Year Faculty Book Award. The 2005 Southaven High School graduate is the son of Donna and Ricky Talley. [Selected by first-year faculty, the book award is presented to the freshman who has exhibited the greatest excellence in design.]
STARKVILLE--Graduate student Lalatendu Satpathy, receiving the Architectural Research Centers Consortium King Award. He is a 2001 graduate of the College of Engineering and Technology in Bhubaneswar, India. [Recognizing "innovation, integrity and scholarship in architectural and/or environmental design research," the award is named for the late Jonathan King, co-founder and first president of the national consortium.]
STRINGER--Graduating senior Bill Holloway, receiving a Jurists Award in Design Excellence. He is the son of Steven and Lynelle Holloway and a 1999 West Jones High School graduate. [The award recognizes "students achieving the greatest personal growth as designers, and whose work has contributed to the overall success of the fifth-year program."]
THE WOODLANDS, Texas--Kayce D. Williford, receiving the $2,000 Pella Traveling Fellowship. She is the daughter of John and Reneé Williford and a 2001 The Woodlands High School graduate. [Sponsored by the Iowa-based Pella Corp., the fellowship honors the winner of a semester-long design competition among fourth-year students.]
WEST POINT--Greg Wartak, receiving second place in the Pella Design Competition. He is the son of Andrew and Danuta Wartak and a 2001 Oak Hill Academy graduate. [Sponsored by the Iowa-based Pella Corp., the competition is a semester-long challenge among fourth-year majors.]