2025 End of Year Newsletter
ACFA 2025 Year in Review
As 2025 comes to a close, The ACFA looks back on our achievements, events and fundraising which have made this year a success! We want to recognize our members and their accomplishments.
The Alabama Center for Architecture (ACFA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the appreciation of architecture and design through engagement, education and collaboration. This year the ACFA raised $28,500 for scholarships and outreach programs and awarded a total of $16,000 in scholarships to nine students.
All of this would not be possible without the support of our members and sponsors. Your hard work and dedication to our annual Golf Tournament and Clay Shoot allows for the tremendous success of our scholarship program. This year’s Posters, Pints & Pies show also raised $5,300 to support the ACFA’s dreamARCHITECTURE program.
We invite each of you to take a moment to reflect on how your volunteer service, sponsorships, donations, and continued dedication have positively impacted students across the state. Your efforts have made a meaningful and lasting difference, and we are deeply grateful for your support. Thank you for helping make 2025 a truly memorable year.
Thank you to our 2025 Board Directors & Members!
8th Annual Posters, Pints & Pies
The Committee
Patrick Nelson, Bobby Bruner, Cliff May, Marcial Mendez
The 8th Annual Posters, Pints & Pies event successfully raised $5,300 to support the ACFA’s dreamARCHITECTURE Program. The funds raised help support essential program expenses, including prizes, a teacher workshop, classroom supplies for schools, and an in-person awards ceremony for participants. None of this would be possible without the generous support of music enthusiasts and members of the Alabama Center for Architecture. These funds were achieved through ticket sales, raffle entries, and silent auction items.
5th Annual Sporting Clay Tournament
The Committee
Les Tillery, Stuart O’Dell, Barrett Penney
The 5th Annual Sporting Clay Tournament took place in Athens, Alabama, with 18 teams competing. This event successfully raised $8,500 for the ACFA to provide student scholarships, with funds allocated from Station Sponsors, team registrations, a raffle and the purchase of a perfect score station. This tournament provides entertainment, while also raising money and allowing the opportunity for fellow North Alabama members to make connections.
Building With Bricks
Committee
Justin Ahalt, SEAoAL, Matt Repsher, Dylan Higgs, SEAoAL, Alden Peterson, Stephan Formentano, Emily Mueller, SEAoAL
The ACFA teamed up with the Structural Engineers Association of Alabama to host Building with Bricks, an interactive exhibit held during spring break to provide an educational experience for Alabama students. Kids built alongside architects and engineers to create designs that could withstand the seismic shake table and learned about construction in an interactive way. More than 150 kids learned about strong structural foundations and the importance of design.
dreamARCHITECTURE: Draw your Dream ZOO!
The ACFA sponsors dreamARCHITECTURE- an elementary school outreach program that encourages children to think about their built environment. This program reaches schools in Birmingham, Huntsville and Mobile. In the past, students have used creativity to draw their dream houses, parks, cities and hotels. This year’s theme was “Draw your Dream Zoo!” Thank you to all the architects who make this program a success each and every year! We value all of your hard work and dedication.
dreamARCHITECTURE Teacher Workshop
Adrienne Retief and Jane Reed Ross hosted a statewide teacher workshop for educators across Alabama, where they provided insight into the professions and roles of architects and landscape architects, along with an introduction to the broader world of design. The workshop covered topics including landscape architecture, their professional paths that led them to architecture, and practical guidance on watercolor techniques and zoo design to help teachers prepare students for dreamARCHITECTURE.
The Jury
Each dreamARCHITECTURE jury is comprised of architecture firms from their local city. Each firm is assigned a different grade level to judge, selecting winners based on architectural merit. Once the grade-level winners are chosen, another firm reviews all the entries to select the overall winners. This process ensures that winners are recognized not only for their creativity but also for their ability to think and perceive the world like an architect.
Birmingham, AL - 1813 Entries
The Committee
Bruce Lanier, AIA, Sharon Nelson, FASLA, Alicia Pughsley, AIA, Rebecca Whitlow, AIA
Huntsville, AL - 434 Entries
The Committee
Lauren Sanford, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP, Lisa Dyer, AIA, Michelle Lowrance, Assoc. AIA, Natasha Liston-Beck, AIA, NCARB, Sami Rambo, AIA, Sheree Holland, Assoc. AIA
Mobile, AL - 335 Entries
The Committee
Nic Gray, AIA, Caterina Echols, AIA, Kim Boone
2025 dreamARCHITECTURE Ceremonies
Each dreamARCHITECTURE city hosts a celebratory awards ceremony featuring prizes, professionally framed student artwork courtesy of Gallery Services, pizza, and candy. During the event, students eagerly learn the recognition their artwork has received, while their accompanying dream statements are read aloud to the audience and winners receive art and architectural prizes. These ceremonies offer a meaningful opportunity for the ACFA to celebrate and highlight student creativity while fostering greater awareness of the world of architecture.
Birmingham, AL - 36 Winners from 14 Schools
Huntsville, AL - 20 Winners from 7 Schools
Mobile, AL - 21 Winners from 10 Schools
2025 Scholarship Luncheon
This year, nine Alabama students received over $16,000 in scholarship funds from The ACFA, to attend accredited architectural schools and follow their aspirations of becoming architects. The ceremony took place at Samford University featuring our keynote speaker, James W. Shepherd, AIA, LEED, FAPT. He shared his insights on the restoration of the Washington National Cathedral.
N2 Architecture & Book Program
The N2 Architecture program connects practicing architects with middle school students, welcoming them to the world of design and the built environment. Students gain insight into what it is really like to work in the field, inspiring the next generation of problem-solvers, city-builders and the next generation of designers. This year, the ACFA visited five schools to speak in classrooms, career fairs and assemblies.
This year, the ACFA started a new program to inspire the next generation of architects by donating architectural books to schools and students. Over the past year, the ACFA gifted more than 145 books to schools in Birmingham, Huntsville and Mobile.
ACFA Booth at State Convention
The ACFA exhibited a booth at the AIA State Convention, where attendees learned more about the organization’s mission, scholarship initiatives, and educational outreach programs supporting architecture across Alabama. The ACFA also hosted a silent auction during the convention, with all proceeds benefiting ACFA programs and student scholarships.
29th Annual Golf Tournament
The ACFA hosts their 29th annual Golf Tournament raising funds for scholarships and educational programs that inspire Alabama’s future architects! 28 teams and 33 sponsors participated in this year’s tournament at Highland Golf Course. This year was a tremendous success with $20,000 raised for outreach and scholarship programs. Funds were generated through individual and team registrations, raffle tickets and tickets to the After Par-Tee.
