Fairmont State students awarded West Virginia American Institute of Architects scholarships

Fairmont State University students Chloe Wean and Preston Frost were awarded scholarships from the West Virginia American Institute of Architects (AIA) for their outstanding work on semester projects. Every year AIA provides a scholarship to senior and junior architecture students who present notable projects. Wean and Frost presented their projects to AIA in December and were selected amongst three other students as scholarship winners.

Wean, who is a current senior at Fairmont State and a Fairmont native, presented a proposal for a new elementary school in Fairmont. Jurors complimented her graphics and material selections related to nature and pedagogy research. Wean’s use of color throughout the building and the accommodation for community spaces within the school were notable. Wean was awarded the Jeffrey Mayfield Scholarship for her semester project.

“I am very grateful to have won this scholarship. It inspires me to improve as a designer,” said Wean.

Frost is from Brownsville, PA, and is currently a junior at Fairmont State. Frost presented his work on a farm-to-table restaurant and gardens located in Alexandria, VA. The multi-level restaurant respected the context of the urban fabric. The building’s form responded as an edge and gateway to the garden areas on the edge of the Potomac River and proposed new urbanist development. Frost was awarded the AIAWV Scholarship for his presentation.

“It feels great to win an award like this, to know that weeks of work has paid off to win a scholarship feels great,” said Frost, “I couldn't be more grateful to Professor Cole and all my peers that helped me along with the process. I feel as if this opens a gateway for more experience and even though I may have won, there is still so much to learn. I can't wait to see what's ahead of me. This experience will never be forgotten, and I will forever be grateful for it.”

Fairmont State offers the only bachelor’s and master’s architecture programs in the state of West Virginia. For more information about Fairmont State University’s architecture programs visit: www.fairmontstate.edu/collegeofscitech/academics/architecture-program

scholarshipsArchitectureChloe WeanPreston FrostAmerican Institute of Architects West Virginia