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Fellowship and Service
by Betsey Olenick Dougherty, FAIA
2004 Chancellor, AIA College of Fellows
Fellowship is the highest membership recognition given by the AIA. The only greater individual accomplishment is the AIA Gold Medal. Members are advanced to the College of Fellows as the result of a nomination submittal juried by AIA Secretarial appointees representing a cross-section of disciplines and demographics. Recognition is given in five areas: design; practice; service to the profession; service to the community; and a final all-inclusive category embracing education, historic preservation and non-traditional areas of emphasis. This year, eighty-eight new Fellows and international Honorary Fellows have been selected. They will participate in the Investiture Ceremony at the University of Chicago Rockefeller Chapel at the Chicago Convention.
Membership in the College of Fellows now numbers more than 2,200. The College is more than just a category of membership and an opportunity for recognition. It is a vehicle for support of professional activities, for mentorship, and for sponsorship of the Latrobe Fellow, the largest research grant combining education and practice in the design and construction industry. Members of the College of Fellows represent a “brain trust” of experience, of creativity, and of knowledge that carries with it a heavy burden of commitment and responsibility.
The AIA Orange County Chapter is blessed to have among its members an active cross section of AIA Fellows, all continuously willing to serve and support local activities. Many also serve as members of the AIAOC Council of Past Presidents. At a time when the State is embarking upon mandatory implementation of the IDP Program, mentorship is needed more than ever. If you are a Fellow and are willing to support Chapter activities, please make that phone call or send that email offering your services. If you are a potential candidate for Fellowship, please seek counsel from those who are Fellows. If you have the ability to make time to contribute to your profession or to your community, start now! I would be most happy to make myself available to you as a resource.
I have personally gained great insight and experience through my lifetime of active AIA participation. My Chapter and community activities began in 1976, representing to date twenty-eight consecutive years of service. It is said that volunteers gain more than they give, and I can attest to the fact that this is true. It is also very rewarding to know that, by serving, you are able to contribute to an ever evolving effort to further the profession, to enrich our communities, and to advance societal well-being. Find the time to give of yourself, whether it be to AIA, to achieve Fellowship, or simply to make a difference in your own way. For these efforts, I applaud you.
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