Association for Women in Architecture + Design

(Redirected from Alpha Alpha Gamma)

The Association for Women in Architecture + Design is a nonprofit professional association based in Los Angeles, California. The organization aims to support women working in the fields of architecture and design through educational programming, networking, and mentoring.[1] The history the association dates back to a Alpha Alpha Gamma, a collegiate organization established at Washington University in St. Louis.[2]

Association for Women in Architecture + Design
Founded1915; 109 years ago (1915)
Washington University in St. Louis
TypeProfessional
AffiliationIndependent
StatusActive
EmphasisArchitecture
ScopeNational
FormerlyAlpha Alpha Gamma
Headquarters2807 Oregon Court, Unit F 6/7
Torrance, California 90503
United States
Websitewww.awaplusd.org

History

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Alpha Alpha Gamma

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In 1915 four female architect students from Washington University in St. Louis were rejected from the male architectural fraternity. These women, Helen Milius, Henrietta May Steinmesch, Jane Pelton, and Angela Burdeau created an architectural sorority called La Confrerie Alongine.[3] La Confrerie Alongine later became Alpha Alpha Gamma. The four found started other chapters of Alpha Alpha Gamma. On January 28, 1922, Alpha Alpha Gamma became an official national sorority supporting female architectural students.[3]

Association of Women in Architecture

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In 1934, practicing women architects formed the Association of Women in Architecture. One of its founders was Dimity Reed. Alpha Alpha Gamma became its affiliate organization for architectural students.[2] In 1948, the association became the Association for Women in Architecture and Allied Arts. This name change helped support women in the fields of architecture, interior design, and engineering and artists of various principles. [4]

By 1950, there were around twenty professional and student chapters across the United States. The association published a newsletter called Keystone and held a national annual convention. Because of the pressure, the organization precipitated to a re-organization, leading the national organization to dissolve in 1964. Though both student and professional chapters continued to operate as location organizations in universities and cities across the United States.[3]

Association for Women in Architecture + Design

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The Los Angeles chapter soon became the sole survivor of AWA, calling itself AWA-LA. In 1975, AWA-LA expanded its membership to include others interested in supporting women. This expansion in membership included men, thus the "of women" portion of the name was changed to "for women" to represent the introduction of men into the organization with the ideal to support women in the profession.[3]

In 2012, AWA-LA changed its name to the Association for Women in Architecture + Design to support architects, contractors, interior designers, engineers, urban planners, designers, and artists in similar fields and students of these fields.[5] The Association for Women in Architecture + Design is a not-for-profit organization.[6]

The organization's archives are held at the University Libraries at Virginia Tech in the International Archive of Women in Architecture (IAWA).[7]

Chapters

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Alpha Alpha Gamma chapters

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The collegiate chapters of Alpha Alpha Gamma included:

Chapter Charter date Institution Location Statues References
Alpha 1922 Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis, Missouri Inactive [8]
Beta 1922 University of Minnesota Minneapolis, Minnisota Inactive [8]
Gamma 1922 University of Texas Austin, Texas Inactive [8]
Delta 1922 University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, California Inactive [8]
Epsilon 1925 University of Illinois Champaign, Illinois Inactive [8]
Zeta 1928 University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan Inactive [8]
Eta 1935 Cornell University Ithaca, New York Inactive [8]
Theta 1950 Kansas State University Manhattan, Kansas Inactive [8]
Iota 1956 Auburn University Auburn, Alabama Inactive [8]
Kappa 1957 University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, California Inactive [8]
Lambda 1966 University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas Inactive [8]

Notable members

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References

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  1. ^ "About Us". awaplusd.org. Archived from the original on 2016-10-23. Retrieved 2017-03-03.
  2. ^ a b "IAWA Biographical Database". iawadb.lib.vt.edu. Retrieved 2017-03-03.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Our History". Association for Women in Architecture. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
  4. ^ "Our Mission". AWA+D 100. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
  5. ^ "Who We Are". Association for Women in Architecture. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
  6. ^ Jones, Kennedy. "Research Guides: Women in Architecture and Design: Organizations". researchguides.njit.edu. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  7. ^ Association for Women in Architecture Records, 1928-1992
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities. Baird's Manual Foundation, Incorporated. 1991. pp. V–65–66.
  9. ^ ""Only Woman at Engineering Firm"". Ebony. 1950. Archived from the original on 2018-01-02. Retrieved 2022-10-22 – via bwaf.org.
  10. ^ "IAWA Biographical Database". iawadb.lib.vt.edu. Retrieved 2017-03-03.
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Official website