2017 was an exciting year for Emerging Professionals in Detroit. With a fresh energy brought to the Emerging Professionals Committee, our membership brought new events, conversations, and exciting momentum to our professional community.

In September 2017, the inaugural AIAD CKLDP Cohort of 16 scholars, along with the program’s leadership team, gathered for a ‘Bootcamp’ kick-off to the program.

With the support of AIA Detroit Chapter leadership and the dedicated energy of our own committee members, The Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program (CKLDP) was launched in September 2017, providing a new opportunity for young professionals to hone their skills and prepare for future career advancement. The support and participation of our membership made for successful networking and professionally-oriented events, bringing us together to share and learn.  The support of our sponsors allowed us to establish what will be a recurring showcase for the talents of our emerging membership through the Future Focus Emerging Designer Spotlight.  The priorities outlined in our mission statement to engage, listen, and lead compelled us to volunteer our time and efforts to benefit the city of Detroit itself.

With 2018 well upon us, the committee is excited about where we are headed next. The EPC’s 2018 programming kicked off with a community design charrette for the North End neighborhood, in partnership with the Urban Priorities Committee. As many emerging professionals prepare for the Architecture Registration Exams, the EPC has partnered with AIA Michigan to develop an initiative to support and encourage candidates in Detroit and across the state throughout 2018.

Expanding upon the events of 2017, the EPC is working on new events to promote the architecture industry as well as individual and committee growth. These events include mentoring, building tours, and affiliate industry collaborations. If you are interested in supporting the EPC, please reach out at EmergingProfessionals@aiadetroit.com

As part of the 2018 AIAD:COMMONS monthly programming, AIA Detroit will host a four-part screening and interdisciplinary panel discussion series, focused on four installments of the Netflix-produced documentary, “Abstract: The Art of Design“, beginning in March with a feature on Danish architect Bjarke Ingels. Following the screening, we’ll reconvene in Emagine’s SkyBox Lounge for pizza, cocktails, and a lively and interdisciplinary panel discussion on some of the topics addressed in the documentary, the parallels they illustrate across design professions, and the unique opportunities we face as a design community here in Detroit. (more…)

Cancer, in its many forms, is all too prevalent in today’s world. Everyone is at least aware of someone who has fought the disease; too many of us personally know individuals who have lost that battle. For my 27-year-old self, however, cancer always happened to “other people”. Young and healthy, with little history of cancer in my immediate family, there were numerous other health problems that ranked higher on my list of “Things to Worry About in the Future”. (more…)