Prizes, Awards, Transitions, Congratulations
Remarks given Wednesday, May 28, 2025 at our end-of year celebration and Prizes and Awards Ceremony. Congratulations to all our graduates, and all who helped them on their way.
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A warm welcome to all, especially to the Department of Architecture students, their families, and friends.
I’m Nicholas de Monchaux, Head of the Department of Architecture, and I’m happy to host this special occasion honoring our graduating students.
Today, the department is presenting awards for academic achievement to students of the Department of Architecture, primarily to those graduating in the 2024–2025 academic year.
We have prepared a Student Awards brochure, which will be distributed after the prizes have been announced.
The William Emerson Prize is given to a graduating architecture senior for academic excellence:
Shruthi Ravichandran
The Harry Wentworth Gardner [1894] Prize is awarded to a graduating architecture senior for achievement in design:
Shantelle Ortiz
The Tucker-Voss Award was established in memory of Professors Ross F. Tucker and Walter C. Voss, the first two heads of the Department of Building Construction (Course 17), which merged with the Departments of Architecture and Civil and Environmental Engineering in the 1950s. This year, the Tucker-Voss Award is given on the basis on academic standing, leadership, and promise in the field of building construction to:
Eduardo Edu Gascon Alvarez
The TODA Award is named for the TODA Corporation, which has been committed to key aspects of construction since its foundation in 1881. The award is given to a student who demonstrates excellence in research in Building Technology:
Rachel Blowes
The Marvin Goody [1951] Award is given each term to master’s students – in any MIT department – graduating the following term. Selection is on the basis of the promise and subject of the thesis proposal, as it relates to the aims of the Goody Award: to extend the horizons of existing building techniques and use of materials, to encourage links between the academic world and the building industry, and to increase appreciation of the bond between good design and good building – criteria intended to reflect the range of Marvin Goody’s interests as a teacher, researcher, and designer. There were 2 awardees this past fall and 2 awardees this spring. They are:
For Fall 2024: Anouk Fontaine
For Spring 2025: Mara Jovanovic and Domonique Valenzuela
The Kristen Ellen Finnegan Memorial Fund Award helps outstanding third-year female PhD students in History, Theory and Criticism establish and enhance her research library:
Hana Nikcevic and Maia Simon
The Julian Beinart Research Award is given to an SA+P graduate student to support research covering a broad field of investigation into city design or theoretical propositions about the form of cities, in the field of architecture and urbanism:
Reishan McIntosh
The Louis C. Rosenberg [1913] Travel Scholarship is given to a senior American architectural student looking to study or travel in Western Europe:
Ahzin Nam
Schlossman Research Fellowships are awarded grants for purposes that contribute to the research of graduate students, including travel. Grants support archival research, project documentation, and first-hand study of architectural history and design or – to reflect emerging opportunities in architecture –engagement of computation and design.
Hana Davis and Nia Rich
The Tappe Scholarship for Fontainbleau School of Music and Fine Arts, Architecture Academy is made possible by the support of A. Anthony Tappe, MArch and MCP 1958 and alumnus of Fontainebleau. The scholarship enables one undergraduate or graduate student to attend the Architecture Summer Session at the Chateau Fontainebleau in France. The program for architects begins in Paris, with seminars and visits, preparing students for the following weeks of workshops, lectures, visits and studios in and around the Chateau Fontainebleau.
YLinda Qian
The Edward Allen Student Award is the highest honor given by the Building Technology Educators’ Society recognizing students–who over their academic career–have demonstrated commitment, passion, curiosity, and excellence in the integration of building technology and architectural design. This year’s winners are:
Nikita Klimenko and Mackinley Wang-Xu
The Master of Science in Architecture Studies Thesis Prize is awarded to students nominated by the faculty for outstanding thesis work, based on the thesis presentation. This year's winners are:
Simon Lesina-Debiasi, Dimitrios Moutafidi, and Habin Park
The Arthur Rotch [1872-1873] Special Prize is given to graduating Master of Science in Architecture Studies students for overall academic achievement in classwork and thesis who have demonstrated excellence in more than one field:
Celia Chaussabel
The Sydney B. Karofsky [1937] Prize is awarded to an outstanding MArch student with one further year of study:
Junha Hwang
The Marjorie Pierce/Dean William Emerson Fellowship Award is a full tuition fellowship for a second-year woman for outstanding academic and design achievement. The award honors Dean William Emerson, the first dean of MIT’s School of Architecture, and Marjorie Pierce, who graduated from MIT with a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture in 1922 and a Master’s degree in Architecture the following year:
Aleksandra Aleks Banas
The Rosemary Grimshaw Award is presented to MArch students whose thesis proposal best exemplifies the spirit of Professor Grimshaw, a remarkable woman who taught and served as a thesis advisor until 1994. The thesis proposal must draw upon disciplines other than architecture, the body of work must have its own intrinsic merit, and the thesis must have real-world relevance and application. The award is intended to help fund the costs of producing a thesis. This year, we have two outstanding awardees:
Manavi Dixit and Samantha Ratanarat
The Imre Halasz Thesis Prize acknowledges academic excellence as represented in an MArch thesis in which the design recognizes the expanding responsibility of architecture.
Gabriel Andrade
The Faculty Thesis Award is awarded to a graduating MArch student in recognition of an exemplary thesis that advances the disciplinary discourse within the Department of Architecture. This year's award goes to
Mara Diavolova
The Arthur Rotch [1872–1873] Prize recognizes achievement in architectural design. This year's award goes to:
Courage Dzidula Kpodo
The American Institute of Architects Henry Adams Certificate of Merit is awarded to the second-ranking graduating MArch student. This year's recipient is:
Leanah Sloan Aulgur
The American Institute of Architects Medal of Excellence is awarded to the top-ranking graduating MArch student. This award goes to:
Soala Ajienka
Our last awards are for the service and leadership that has been so essential during the life of our community in this time. This year's Department Leadership Award to a graduating MArch students for commitment to leadership in our community goes to:
Yi En Ina Wu
The Alpha Rho Chi Bronze Medal is presented to a graduating MArch student for service, leadership, and promise of professional merit. Alpha Rho Chi is the national fraternity for professional architects, and today’s winner will receive an engraved bronze medal:
Ada Azania Umoja
We also have a new award this year. This is awarded to a faculty member in recognition and celebration of the dedication of an individual that effectively mentors emerging professionals and contributes to the support of students. This faculty member received the greatest number of student nominations, many stating how his mentorship has shaped their academic paths.
One of his students is quoted as saying “he has been an unwavering source of support—both intellectually and personally. Roi’s mentorship is marked by generosity, trust, and clarity. He invites students to bring their full selves into the work, fosters a collaborative and non-hierarchical culture, and knows exactly when to push and when to listen. His care has deeply impacted my confidence, rigor, and growth as a designer and researcher.”
I am delighted to announce that Roi Salgueiro Barrio is the inaugural winner of the Department of Architecture’s Mentorship Award.
Congratulations to all students who are graduating tomorrow. We, the faculty and staff of the Department of Architecture, are very proud of you! I look forward to seeing you at Commencement.
Thank you for coming today. Let the celebration continue!
Nicholas de Monchaux
May 28, 2025