Image credit: Andy Arthur/Flickr CC
By Ed Gauvreau, FAIA, M.SAME
When I left off at Part 1, I was almost ready to make the submission for Fellowship. Just a few more morsels concerning the process…..
The AIA DC Chapter Fellows Committee had its last working session and submission review two weeks before the FAIA submission deadline. At that point, one should have the 98 percent solution in place and deal mostly with finishing touches. Remember that it is YOUR submission – unless you have made a grave mistake, input should be to make enhancements and tweaks, not a major overhaul.
What was interesting to find out that two weeks before the deadline, half of the AIA DC group had still not registered on the AIA Fellows website. My public sector mind immediately flickered “oh you poor fools!” They probably had no clue as to all the submission requirements and directions – as I explained last time, the directions and advice take up 20 printed pages and they are ALL important. The last thing one wants to happen is to have your submission rejected because of a technicality or you forgot something.
Some common miscues: not getting a signature on one or more exhibits in Section 3; not current on continuing education requirements (mentioned this before); missing one or more letters of recommendation (another reason to always have back-ups); not being current on AIA dues; missing exhibit(s); missing endorsement letter from your chapter president. There are also the common sense things like correct spelling and grammar, text is readable (remember that 20-somethings are not the ones reviewing your package), assuring text and images are aligned and located properly, no 1-2 word sentences carrying over to next page.
Within a week after the last meeting, I received my endorsement letter from the chapter president, went to the website and did all the required uploads – background data, photo credits, head shot (professional grade, not from a selfie), the actual submission, list of references, and paying the application fee (not cheap!). Once you hit the button, then receive confirmation that it was received, the wait begins…..
One of my references told me you just need to get on with life and let the process work its course. Easy to say but hard to hold to, especially given the amount of time, blood, sweat and tears involved – and it is a LOT of work. I admit to checking with a former College of Fellows jury member who was on the AIA Strategic Council in late November whether I made the list – just a little bit of nervousness. She gets a copy of the referral list of candidates that will be reviewed and voted on. National AIA does vet your application before it ever gets to the jury members, checking on membership status, completeness of application and required submission materials. Again, one doesn’t want to lose on a technicality. Good news – I made the list.
Here was the next revelation - over 300 applications were received this year – a record. The seven jurors definitely had their hands full! Each of the jurors gets a share of the applications to read in their entirety. The piles are randomly assigned, but there are some controls – one does not get to read applications from your firm or chapter, or candidates one knows personally. They can also request to not read a specific application for personal reasons, mostly for the previously stated reasons. From my perspective, the 2016 Chair of the Fellows Jury was from AIA DC, so I knew she would not be reading or presenting any DC candidates. One of the other jurors was chair of a national task force that I served on in 2015, meaning that she would probably not read my application.
Once the applications are submitted, no contact is allowed between jurors and candidates – one can be disqualified from consideration if you contact a juror. I did get one instance where one of the jurors I knew copied me on a message referring a colleague to me for a particular issue. I chose to answer the colleague directly – did not want to even get a whiff of impropriety.
Once the Christmas /New Year’s holidays passed, the pace of work picked up again, especially since I became the only branch chief standing for 4 weeks in our division and assuming responsibility for all the financial aspects. Of course there was the additional pressure of a new Administration coming on board, adding another layer of uncertainty. I knew from past practices that the jury meets in Washington, DC in mid-January to deliberate and vote on all the applications. With the Inauguration falling on the middle week, I figured they would meet the week after, do their duty, then we would hear the results a week or so later.
Well…..on January 26, David Trevino, FAIA, (2016 PAAG Chair) sent me an email around lunchtime. He was attending a Fellows luncheon for Dallas-based members, and heard that the letters were going to be sent out the next morning. I checked with the same colleague who was a past Jury member – she confirmed that the jury had met that week but was not sure when the letters would be mailed. I figured at this point, just wait and see.
Friday, January 27 – woke up not feeling quite right. Emailed my boss to say I would be arriving late, took my time waking up, having coffee and light breakfast, dressing and then the 15 minute drive to the commuter train station. Once aboard, I checked my Blackberry for email…..and saw a new message from AIA, courtesy of Kathleen Daileda, Hon AIA, Director of Honors and Awards. Her message was a letter from the AIA Secretary regarding Fellowship. The attachment name is simple – your last name.pdf. So I opened the file and read the first line of the address…….Edmond George Gauvreau FAIA!
My immediate reaction was elation, happy that all the hard work, hours taken away from family and other things. However, being on the “quiet car” of the train, I had to exercise a great deal of restraint – one thing I did not have to restrain was the growing smile, which stayed on the entire day. At the same time, a great sense of humility fell upon me, knowing that I had just received an honor only 3 percent of AIA members receive, plus the number of extremely talented architects that had done equally good things but either did not step up to apply or had applied and were not elected. As examples, my sponsor made Fellow on his NINTH attempt; one of my coaches made it on her third attempt. The fact that I made it on my first full attempt is a testament to their assistance and advice throughout the process, as well as superior amounts of perseverance on my part
Oh yes – finally read the rest of the letter. It’s very congratulatory, and gives you the date and time of the investiture ceremony at Convention, saying that more details are to come. Those will include registration for the events, accommodations, etc. Needless to say, that file was instantly saved!
Next part was to let people know…..an email to my sponsor, references, professional associates who added quotes, exhibits, family, friends, thanking them for all their help and support. Also posted notes on social media – Facebook, Twitter, change my title on LinkedIn. I was more than surprised to see the immediate and positive responses from all quarters – have a feeling I may not have to buy any drinks in Orlando during Convention!
One advantage of becoming a Fellow is that you are a Fellow upon receipt of the letter. As I have told others, the three things you need to do are: throw the party, change your signature blocks, order new cards and stationary. Items 2 and 3 were done within an hour of reaching the office – Item 1 will occur at several venues and conferences, where I can gather with my peers/friends/colleagues and toast the honor properly and in good spirits.
I also contacted the chair of the AIA DC Fellows Committee, thanking her and the group for their efforts and looking to assist the next class of candidates. For AIA DC, that is a requirement for new Fellows – we are automatically members of the Fellows Committee and tasked to coach one or more candidates for the Class of 2018. In my view, that is simply the first step of giving back to the profession. As one of the “3 percent”, our responsibility is to help others “rise up” and raise the level of practice for architecture, our clients and the general public.
At this writing, I know of two other public architects that were elected to Fellow: Phil Neuberg, FAIA of NIST (formerly with NIH), and Lane Beougher, FAIA, State of Ohio and 2012 Chair of this committee. I will know the rest of the 2017 Fellows class soon enough, including the other candidates from AIA DC.
By the time this is being read, I will be in Orlando preparing for investiture and receiving my Fellows medal. Friends and family will be there to cheer; a past Chancellor of the College of Fellows – the same one who early in Part 1 asked when I was applying for Fellow – will be there to escort me off the stage. The overall coincidence is that the first AIA Convention I attended was in 1986 in……Orlando! And the first name of my sponsor is…..Orlando! So at one level, I have come full circle and the stars have aligned at the right time and place.
Best wishes and let’s continue to raise the bar!
Ed Gauvreau, AIA, M.SAME, is the past 2015 chair of the Public Architects Advisory Group. He is currently the Chief, Planning Branch for the Installation Support Division, Directorate of Military Programs, Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). He currently oversees several planning programs serving the Army and other Defense agencies, including installation master planning work totaling over $200 million in 2016. Ed has served over 35 years in the public sector, starting with three different installations, Detroit District USACE, and the Food and Drug Administration. In his 22 years with USACE he has managed medical facilities program, developed programs for installation support and was the executive assistant to William Brown, Hon.AIA, when he was senior civilian leader of USACE. For eight years, he managed the Army’s career program for engineers, architects and scientists for the Chief of Engineers. He earned his B.Arch from the University of Notre Dame and an MPA from American University.