Early next year marks the deadlines for calls for entries for: Mentoring Best Practices (January 16), IDP Outstanding Firm Award (February 6), Emerging Professionals Awards (March 1), plus an IDP Coordinators Conference, which now is open to all AIA members (February 11–12).

2006 IDP Outstanding Firm Award Call for Entries
The Internship Development Program Coordinating Committee (IDPCC) invites entrants for the 2006 IDP Outstanding Firm Award. This annual award, now celebrating its 16th year, recognizes outstanding programs in support of interns, including training opportunities, mentoring, continuing education programs, and commitment to the Intern Development Program. The deadline for submissions is February 6, 2006. A finalist will be selected from each category of small, midsize, and large firms. An overall winner will be selected from the three finalists. For more information, visit the award Web site.

2006 Emerging Professionals Awards Call for Entries:
Each year since 1949, the AIA has celebrated outstanding dedication to the profession of architecture through the Institute Awards program. Upon the inception of the National Associates Committee (NAC) in October 2000, the committee had launched an awards program to recognize Associate members on a national level for their accomplishments through the year. Similarly, the Young Architects Forum (YAF) had developed leadership awards to recognize outstanding contributions and progress towards YAF goals on the national level. Entries are due March 1, 2006. Selected finalists will be honored at the AIA Emerging Professionals Awards Ceremony at the 2006 AIA National Convention in Los Angeles. For more information, visit the Emerging Professionals Awards Web site.

2006 Mentoring Best Practices Call for Entries: The AIA intends to facilitate the exchange of ideas among AIA components by compiling best practices and highlighting them on the AIA Web site. A spokesperson for selected programs will be invited to participate in a special session at the 2006 IDP Coordinator Conference on February 11, 2006, at the AIA national component in Washington, D.C. To enter, submit a brief description (no more than two pages) according to the format provided in the entry form. Submissions are due by January 16, 2006. For more information, visit the mentoring Web site.

2006 IDP Coordinators Conference Now Open to all AIA members: The 2006 IDP Coordinators Conference, to be held February 11-12, 2006, and the AIA national headquarters building in Washington, D.C., will highlight exceptional models of professional development in the arenas of practice and education. Entitled “IDP and Tools that Lead to Success,” this conference promises to explore the latest innovative practices and projects in this field. Among the highlights will be a closer look at the new 2005 IDP Mentor Guidelines, a resource for interns to gain credit in IDP. The conference will be held in conjunction with AIA Grassroots Leadership Conference to allow opportunities to network with state and local component leaders. For more information, visit the conference Web site.

Copyright 2005 The American Institute of Architects. All rights reserved. Home Page