Engaging Future Architects
Why We Must Inspire the Next Generation
by Kimberly Dowdell, AIA President, NOMA Council
On the heels of Architecture Week 2024 in April, I am still very energized by the incredible experience of visiting students at three schools in Detroit and a nearby suburb. My first visit was to the Detroit elementary school that I attended as a child, from kindergarten through fifth grade. I had an opportunity to speak to and work on a brief design assignment with a class of enthusiastic third graders at Burns Elementary School. I shared my educational path from Detroit Public Schools to becoming the 100th President of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The students had so many questions for me, and it was truly an honor to share my passion about the important work that architects do. Similarly, I enjoyed responding to the questions posed by third graders at Bird Elementary School and students from West Middle School of Plymouth-Canton Community Schools, just a short drive from downtown.
Architecture Week is AIA’s celebration of the value of architecture. This year, AIA focused on engagement with a younger demographic, inviting K-12 students to explore design through fun, age-curated activities. This approach deeply resonated with me because my introduction to architecture was in a middle school art class. Armed with my new knowledge, I decided as an eleven-year-old to be an architect, as I aspired to rebuild the parts of my hometown ravaged by disinvestment and decay. My prior career ambition as a kid was to pursue medicine because I had interacted with doctors and saw them on television or movies. Architects were not as easily accessible in those days, or even today, which is why I firmly believe it is vital that architects become more visible in the public realm. If we want to engage the best young talent to help us grow our profession in the future, we must start now. Kindergarten through 12th grade engagement provides a wonderful opportunity to educate and excite students about the amazing field of architecture.
We will need thousands of new professionals in the next decade, considering the anticipated exit of the Baby Boomer workforce. The current K-12 age group is critical to fostering interest and growth in our profession. We must be more intentional about outreach and cultivating opportunities for youth. By volunteering in local schools or specialized educational programs, architects can increase career awareness, empower students to engage in their communities, and grow student understanding of how they can help improve their built environment. Just as with my own personal career discovery story, we can also encourage youth from underserved communities to leverage their talents to help rebuild their neighborhoods.
The house where I lived as a Burns Elementary student has been demolished. Vacant lots like this can be transformed into a space that serves the community. Progress needs to happen now, but we must have the workforce to make the changes necessary to design and build a better future.
I want to thank the many architects, firms, and chapters that participated in #ArchitectureWeek outreach. With their participation, we reached over 10,000 students in more than 60 schools across the United States and abroad. We do not have to limit ourselves to a week every year to inspire the next generation. There are so many great programs and ways to share our pride in the profession of architecture right now. For example, AIA was an active participant at the 2023 National Girl Scout Convention, attended by more than 10,000 troop leaders, volunteers, staff, parents, and partners. This important engagement led to the development of the Climate Action Design Challenge card deck.
Organizations such as National Organization of Minority Architects and the Architecture, Construction, and Engineering mentor programs are also very impactful relative to youth engagement. We encourage you to find an organization or program that resonates with you, or to get involved directly by mentoring students at local schools. When it comes to mentorship, every effort counts. No action is too small to make a difference.
