Alwin Cassens, Jr. Memorial Fund in Architecture

Carnegie Mellon Architecture will announce the call for applications for the next award cycle in the fall of 2024.

The Alwin Cassens, Jr. Memorial Fund in Architecture was established in 2015 by Diane Cassens Cummins and Richard Cummins, and Joan Cassens Zinner (MM ’66), in memory of Diane and Joan’s father Alwin Cassens, Jr. (A ’34). The purpose of the award is to provide financial support to Carnegie Mellon Architecture students to attend conferences or other events in support of their academic pursuits in the area of public interest design.

Applicants must submit a proposal which clearly explains the purpose and objectives for attending the conference or event. This award can support a collective proposal by multiple students. Selection is based on the impact of the proposal in relation to the applicant’s future work.

To be considered for the Alwin Cassens, Jr. Memorial Fund in Architecture, eligible applicants must submit a complete application that includes the following information:

• A one-page project proposal explaining the project
• A one-page budget and schedule plan

Fall 2023 Jury: Matthew Huber (Chair), Vicki Achnani, Nina Baird, Jongwan Kwon
Fall 2023 Award Amount: $2,200 each (two (2) available)

The Alwin Cassens, Jr. Memorial Fund in Architecture is open to all Carnegie Mellon Architecture students involved in academic pursuits related to public interest design.

Carnegie Mellon Architecture will announce the call for applications for the next award cycle in the fall of 2024.

• 2023: Valeria Duque Villegas (MUD ‘25), Proposal: Model. Barcelona Architectures Festival
  Priyanka Thakur (M.Arch ‘24), Proposal: Bouw met Bamboa! Rotterdam
• 2022: Susie Kim (B.Arch ‘23), Proposal: Attending 2022 Biennale of FRAC: “Infinite Freedom, A World for a Feminist Democracy”
  Morgan Newman (PhD-Arch ‘26), Proposal: Presenting paper “Shaded Sites of Conflict: Wooded Areas as sites of both freedom and violence for African-Americans” at the CROSSROADS Conference Feb. 17-18, 2023 at the University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture
• 2021: Suzy Li (PhD-BPD Candidate), Proposal: Rapidly Improving Urban Surfaces for a Carbon Neutral and Climate Resilient Future
• 2020: Alison Katz (B.Arch '20) & Alex Lin (B.Arch '20), Proposal: Attending Structures For Inclusion (SFI) 2020 Conference 
• 2019: Alyssa Mayorga (B.Arch '20) on behalf of NOMAS CMU Chapter, Proposal: Travel to NOMA National Conference and Mixed-Use Design
• 2018: Alison Katz (B.Arch '20) on behalf of Freedom By Design CMU Chapter, Proposal: Travel to attend AIAS Grassroots 2018
• 2017: Yoon Oh (B.Arch '18), Sophie Nahrmann (B.Arch '18), Garrett Rauck (B.Arch '17) & Candace Ju (B.Arch '17), Proposal: Support for internship with Project RE_
  Sinan Goral (B.Arch '18), Proposal: Travel to Arizona and California to study American mid-twentieth century architecture
• 2016: Carter Nelson (B.Arch '17), Proposal: Study of case study houses