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BAC Alumni Awards

Alumni Winners from L to R: Jessica Haley (MID'12), Marcos Severino (B.Arch'18), Jonathan Garland (B.Arch'09), Michael McCullough(MDS-SD'16), President Mahesh Daas, Elizabeth Luc Clowes (MLA'19, Cert'14), Joshua Barnett (B.Arch'13), and Karen Nelson, Dean of the BAC School of Architecture.

For the past two decades, the BAC Alumni Awards have recognized individuals whose exemplary accomplishments, service, and commitment have brought credit to their communities, their professions, and to the Boston Architectural College. The BAC Alumni Advisory Council is proud to present these awards to a select group of alumni and dedicated volunteers each year at the BAC Alumni Awards ceremony.

The 20th Annual BAC Alumni Awards ceremony was in person on December 8, 2022, at the BAC.

Watch the 2022 Alumni Awards Ceremony Now

Alumni Awards Categories

We invite our community and supporters to nominate BAC alumni and friends who embody characteristics in the following categories:

Award Nominations Guidelines

Nominations open each year in the summer. Please note the following criteria when casting your nominations:

  • Must have matriculated from the Boston Architectural College with a degree or certificate (except in the case of the Selfless Labor Award, which is open to BAC friends and volunteers).
  • Must be able to participate in the awards ceremony in early December.
  • Previous award winners may be nominated for a different category if more than five years have passed since their last award.
  • Cannot have previously received an award in the same category for which the nomination is submitted.
  • Current members of the Alumni Advisory Council are exempt from receiving an award.

If you have questions or would like a hard copy of the nomination form, please contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at alumni@the-bac.edu.

Distinguished Alumni in Service

Given to a BAC alum who serves their greater community by advocating for social, environmental, and/or policy change. Candidates should influence and empower others through design at the local, regional, or global scale. Candidates are alumni from any of the disciplines currently taught at the BAC.

The BAC teaches you grit, it teaches you resourcefulness, and it teaches you to keep digging. That’s what this place does.
Jonathan Garland, B.Arch’09

Distinguished Alumni in Practice

The Distinguished Alumni in Practice award is separated into the following areas: Architecture, Design Studies, Interior Architecture, and Landscape Architecture.

Each award is given to a BAC alum who has made a significant impact in the design community while promoting and improving the design professions through their leadership. Candidates are to have served in a leadership role in their recognized BAC area of study for a substantial period and have mentored younger members of the design community.

The BAC gave me real-life experiences…and gave my career a jumping-off point. I will forever be grateful for that.
Joshua Barnett, B.Arch'13
Here at the BAC, we have learned a lot about failure. We fail as part of the process…the design process is about iteration – you test it out through design. Each test is a part of failure …you find out and you leverage what works…
Michael McCullough, MDS-SD'16
I came to the BAC to learn…. Just by learning more about the organization and how inclusive and accessible and welcoming their values were…the decision came easy.
Jessica Haley, MID'12
I thank the BAC for equipping me with a lot of the ideas and the confidence to do the work.
Elizabeth Luc Clowes, MLA'19, Cert'14

Emerging Designer

Given to a recent graduate (2017 to 2022) who demonstrates great promise and leadership within their field. They must be actively employed in the design field and be making an influential impact in their sphere of design.

We are grateful that the BAC gave us that opportunity to be ourselves and gave us that satisfaction that we can make a difference.
Marcos Severino, B.Arch’18

Selfless Labor

Given to a volunteer in the BAC community who has worked tirelessly to advance the College's mission. The individual embodies the spirit and ideals of the institution and demonstrates exceptional volunteer leadership in support of the College. This is the only award that does not have to be given to a BAC alum. This award is named after Dean Arcangelo Cascieri's (1902–1997) "Selfless Labor" sculpture, which depicts worker bees working on behalf of the colony around a beehive.

I find such deep joy and justification in helping so many students join the field of architecture. It is my pleasure to collaboratively lead the school of architecture to fulfill the promise of the BAC’s mission.
Karen Nelson, Dean of School of Architecture, BAC

BAC Alumni Awards Past Winners

Distinguished Alumni in Service

Jonathan Garland, B.Arch’09

Distinguished Alumni in Architecture

Joshua Barnett, AIA, B.Arch’13

Distinguished Alumni in Design Studies

Michael McCullough, MDS-SD’16

Distinguished Alumni in Interior Architecture

Jessica Haley, MID’12

Distinguished Alumni in Landscape Architecture

Elizabeth Luc Clowes, MLA’19, Cert’14

Emerging Designer

Marcos Severino, B.Arch’18

Selfless Labor

Karen Nelson, BAC Dean of the School of Architecture


Click here to watch the 2022 Alumni Awards Ceremony.

Emerging Designer

Prasanna Lachagari, M.Arch’20

Distinguished Alumni in Service

Christopher J. Novelli, AIA, NCARB, M.Arch’09

Distinguished Alumni in Practice

Adrienne Ott, M.Arch’11

Selfless Labor

Joseph R. Porter, AIA, NCARB, M.Arch’16

Click here to watch the 2021 Alumni Awards Ceremony.

Emerging Designer

Jessi Flynn, MLA’15

Distinguished Alumni in Service

John Dalzell, B.Arch’88

Distinguished Alumni in Practice

Shpresa Theodhosi, B.Arch’78

Selfless Labor

Richard Martini, B.Arch’84

Click here to watch the 2020 Alumni Awards Ceremony.

Emerging Designer

Darguin Fortuna, B.Arch’16

Distinguished Alumni in Service

Deborah Pierce, ’77

Distinguished Alumni in Practice

Phil Dunn, B.Arch’06

Selfless Labor

Sara Bourque, ’10, MLA’14

Emerging Designer

Maya Bird-Murphy, M.Arch’17

Emerging Designer

Olivia Stasin, MLA’16

Distinguished Alumni in Service

Sarah Ritch, M.Arch’03

Distinguished Alumni in Practice

Matthew Schiffer, B.Arch’91

Distinguished Alumni in Practice

Manuel Zeitlin, B.Arch’81

Selfless Labor

Valerie Fletcher, Trustee

Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award

Gerald Couto, ’70

Distinguished Alumni in Practice

Jill M. Rothenberg, ’89

Distinguished Alumni in Service

Brandy H.M. Brooks, BDS’06

Distinguished Alumni in Service

Anahita Kianous, MLA’15

Emerging Designer

Stephen Martyak, BDS’09

Selfless Labor

Ralph Jackson, BAC Adjunct Faculty Member

Distinguished Alumni in Practice

Sylvia Mihich, B.Arch’89

Distinguished Alumni in Service

David Silverman, B.Arch’94

Emerging Designer

Daniel Zeese, M.Arch’15

Selfless Labor

David Jaquith,’69

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