CHELSEA, MA – Reflecting its dedication to community impact, the architecture, planning, and interiors leader, The Architectural Team (TAT), has announced an endowed scholarship at Wentworth Institute of Technology (WIT), a leading institution for design education.
Known as “The Architectural Team Endowed Scholarship,” this need-based scholarship for students pursuing degrees in Wentworth’s School of Architecture & Design intends to build a pipeline into professional practice for underrepresented students, directly addressing critical issues of access that have long challenged the design world.
With applications set to open in early 2022 for the 2022-23 academic year, TAT’s $25,000 contribution will be dollar-matched by funds from the Wentworth endowment as part of the school’s Advancing Student Access and Potential (ASAP) Challenge program, significantly enhancing the scholarship’s impact for up to two students who are studying architecture per scholarship cycle. Additionally, scholarship recipients will have an option to apply for a one-semester co-op opportunity at TAT, helping them build the professional experience and networks that are important for long-term success in the field.
“We are delighted to continue our strong partnership with The Architectural Team,” says Mark Mulligan, Associate Dean of Wentworth’s School of Architecture and Design. “This scholarship is critical to the University’s mission to expand access to the profession of architecture by supporting our talented and diverse students.”
The announcement of this new scholarship stems directly from the philosophy of TAT’s founder, Robert J. Verrier, FAIA, NCARB, who passed away this year. Verrier inspired generations of architects with a steadfast belief in the potential of architecture to engender civic pride, revive local economies, and transform communities. Partnering with Wentworth was an easy choice for TAT to continue its founder’s legacy and celebrate its 50th anniversary.
TAT Senior Partner and Managing Principal Michael D. Binette, AIA, NCARB, is a 1986 graduate of WIT’s Architecture program. (Photo Courtesy The Architectural Team).
According to TAT leaders, the scholarship also deepens an already strong and longstanding relationship with Wentworth. Hundreds of students have worked in TAT’s offices through Wentworth’s co-op program, and more than 30 out of 95 current TAT staff are graduates of the university– including three of the firm’s six principals. Like TAT, Verrier recognized that Wentworth has deep roots in Boston and shares a profound belief in the transformative power of architecture to strengthen the communities in which we work and live. He believed, “As the world emerges from a year of pandemic, economic, and social justice challenges, there is no better time to start building the world we want to see by supporting future design leaders, expanding access to architectural education, and encouraging new perspectives.”
“I joined TAT as a co-op student in 1982 and, having grown with the firm, I can attest to the benefits of being able to learn and work in this type of nurturing yet rigorous atmosphere,” says Senior Partner and Managing Principal Michael D. Binette, AIA, NCARB, a 1986 graduate of Wentworth’s Architecture program. “As we look to the future, supporting the talent and energy of tomorrow’s designers at all stages of their journey, from education into practice, is one of the best ways to ensure that our field will continue to push the envelope in addressing crucial issues ranging from affordable housing to coastal resiliency and sustainable building practices.”
One of the country’s leading planners and designers of multifamily housing, TAT is known for a wide array of work, including urban infill complexes, creative master planned communities, engaging mixed-use destinations, resilient waterfronts, historic preservation and adaptive reuse, and uplifting affordable housing and senior developments. As the firm continues to grow and expand its practice, TAT leadership and staff have become even more dedicated to advancing the next generation of architects, planners, and interior designers.
“We’re accelerating our commitments to fostering positive change nationwide, and one of the best ways is by investing in the next generation of design professionals within our own community,” notes TAT Senior Partner and Design Principal Michael Liu, AIA, NCARB, who helped spearhead development of The Architectural Team Endowed Scholarship. “These students will go on to shape the built environment for decades to come. We’re thrilled to work in partnership with Wentworth Institute of Technology by supporting their pursuit of design solutions that will make our cities more livable, more exciting, and more resilient and sustainable.”
