SSA
A big thank you to everyone who joined us at the SSA Alumni Open House & Awards Ceremony on Thursday, October 22nd! From inspiring conversations to unforgettable moments, we’re grateful to have such a vibrant and supportive community.
It was an incredible evening reconnecting with alumni, celebrating our current students, and sharing the exciting new spaces at the Spitzer School of Architecture — including the rooftop, the Design Matters: In Favor of Urban Public Space exhibition, and the robotics lab.
The Spitzer School Annual Scholarship & Awards Ceremony honored award-winning continuing students. Several esteemed donors presented awards directly to recipients.
Congratulations to everyone, and many thanks to the generous donors supporting many of these scholarships!
Photos by Sirin Samman.
To view the Awards Ceremony program, please click here.
Spitzer History & Theory Travel Fellowship
Awarded to students (or a team of students) for research projects involving travel incorporating the study of architecture, landscape architecture, and/or urban design.
Haya Citron
Gerner, Kronick & Valcarcel Art of Architecture Award
Awarded to a student entering their final year in a first accredited degree program in architecture for design excellence and promise in the art of architecture.
Cemile Koseoglu
Carol J. Weissman Kurth Architecture Scholarship
Awarded to a fourth-year student in the Bachelor of Architecture program for high academic standing, a passion for architecture, and a lifelong dedication to the profession.
Titilola Omoladun
Bernard L. Spanier Memorial Scholarship
Awarded to one third-year student in the Bachelor of Architecture program, among students with the highest GPAs. Established in memory of Bernard L. Spanier, a distinguished CCNY alumnus and beloved adjunct faculty member in the Architecture Department.
Zainab Hamid
CCNY Arch Alumni Group Award
Awarded to a fourth-year student who demonstrates merit, financial need, and potential to be a leader in their industry.
Yessleiry de la Cruz
Memorial Robert E. Markinson Architecture Award
Established in loving memory of alumnus Robert E. Markinson by his wife, Haritini Kanthou, the Markinson Award provides financial support to a deserving Spitzer School student who demonstrates expertise in technology, detailing, and research.
Colin Souther
Joseph L. Fleischer, FAIA, Scholarship for Design Excellence
Awarded to a student entering their final year in a first accredited degree program in architecture, for design excellence and promise in the art of architecture.
Lawrence Pierre
Aaron Rand ’65 – The Elan Ganeles Annual Scholarship Award
This award was established by Aaron Rand B Arch ’65 to honor the memory of his grandson, supporting a first-generation B Arch student so they can fully dedicate themselves to their studio coursework
Alexander Pichol, Nafisha Ahmed
A. Melendez Architectural Scholarship
Established in honor of architecture department undergraduate advisor Arnaldo Melendez and his 29 years of dedicated student mentorship at City College, the Melendez Architecture Scholarship is awarded to a full-time B.Arch student demonstrating financial need to assist with architecture school expenses.
Julia Zakowicz, Elizabeth Moore, Xiang Zhuang
George Willet Fund Scholarship
A generous donor established this award to honor academic excellence in a deserving student currently enrolled at the Spitzer School.
Elizabeth Gomes
IIBEC Metro New York Chapter Annual Memorial Scholarship
This award supports promising students pursuing degrees in architecture, engineering, and related construction fields in the Tri-State area.
Elizabeth Gomes
AIA Queens Scholarship
Provided by the American Institute of Architects Queens Chapter through the Queens Foundation for Architecture, this scholarship supports promising students pursuing post-secondary education in architecture.
Elizabeth Gomes
Professional Women in Construction
Awarded by PWC NY to emerging students pursuing a degree in the AEC industry. Open to female-identifying students at NYU, CCNY, and Manhattan College.
Elizabeth Gomes, Claire Salameh
AIA Westchester + Hudson Valley Chapter Scholarship
Provided by the American Institute of Architects Westchester + Hudson Valley Chapter, this scholarship supports aspiring architecture students in NAAB-accredited programs, helping to foster the next generation of design professionals.
Gianna Antenucci, Claire Salameh
Ken Babits Scholarship
A generous donor established this award to honor academic excellence in a deserving student currently enrolled at the Spitzer School.
Uriel Alpin
Michael J. Friedlander Fund Scholarship
Established by Michael’s wife, Jeanette Emmarco, the Michael J. Friedlander Fund provides an annual award to support outstanding undergraduate or graduate students studying in any program at the Spitzer School, honoring the legacy of a visionary architect who transformed New York City’s public infrastructure into celebrated urban art.
Sharon Perion
Joyce and Irving Goldman Family Foundation Award
Provided through the generosity of the Joyce and Irving Goldman Family Foundation, this award recognizes a student entering their final year in a first accredited degree program in architecture for design excellence and promise in the art of architecture.
Anderson Tan, Katerina Emmanouilidis
Marvel Creative Design Fund Scholarship
Established through the generosity of Luke Gray and Dorke Poelz, the Marvel Creative Design Fund provides scholarship support to students enrolled in a graduate program at the Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture.
Hannah Edmunds
Shapiro Endowed Fund Award
A generous donor established this award to honor academic excellence in a deserving student currently enrolled at the Spitzer School.
Victoria Lezcano
AIA New York Allwork Scholarship
Established through a juried competition among regional schools of architecture, the AIA New York Allwork Scholarship recognizes and rewards outstanding architecture students for their exceptional design work.
Justine Frances Flora
Castagna Architectural Scholarship
A generous foundation-funded annual award to Spitzer School students for tuition and funds to support study abroad.
Elizabeth Moore, Anastasia Protsak, Julia Zakowicz, Noah Lettrick, Tarrell Browne, Joel Sanchez, Andrew Restrepo, Jasper Von Seeburg, Hayden Tornabene, Jerrica Wallack, Maraka Bradford, Justine Frances Flora
Hollander Design Fellowship
Multi-year award generously funded by Hollander Design Landscape Architects to a current Master of Landscape Architecture student.
Rebecca Rajgopaul
Frederic Bainnson Memorial Scholarship
Given to a high-ranking second-year landscape architecture student in memory of a distinguished landscape architect.
Sebastian Gatton
Brooklyn Architects’ Scholarship Foundation
Provided by the Brooklyn Architects Scholarship Foundation, this award supports deserving architecture students attending accredited programs across the region.
Jyorei Juanillo, Iteoluwakiishi Ogunfowora
Bronx AIA Empowerment Award
Awarded annually by the AIA Bronx chapter to a student in the Bachelor of Architecture program who is a resident of the Bronx; includes a scholarship and mentoring support from the chapter leadership.
Era Hulaj
Beyer Blinder Belle Foundation Scholarship
Award generously funded by the BBB Foundation, which advances diversity and the role of architecture, planning, and preservation in strengthening the physical and social fabric of our cities, communities, and institutions.
Era Hulaj
Concrete Industry Foundation Scholarship
Provided by the Concrete Industry Foundation, this scholarship supports outstanding students pursuing studies in architecture, engineering, and construction within the New York metropolitan area.
Mansoor Gafar
Carol A. and Mark A. Willis Scholarship Fund
Established through the generosity of Mr. Mark A. Willis and Mrs. Carol A. Willis, this fund honors academic excellence from a deserving student currently enrolled at the Spitzer School.
Rafah Alzindani, Mehrab Chowdhury
Ma’Mar Alumni Scholarship for the Study of Middle Eastern Architecture
Established by four recent alumni, this award supports students exploring and advancing the rich architectural traditions and histories of the Middle East.
Nadine Moubayed
Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc. Fellowship Program
Established through a partnership with Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc., this fellowship program provides financial support and a professional summer internship to Master of Landscape Architecture students.
Éloïse LaRochelle
Sciame Construction Scholarship
Established through the generosity of Frank Sciame BS ‘74, this award provides financial support to a worthy graduate student at the Spitzer School over a three-year period.
Finn Love
WX Women in Real Estate Scholars Program Scholarship
Awarded by New York Women Executives in Real Estate (WX) to promising women students studying real estate and related subjects in their final year of studies.
Hazel Bensu Kaplan
Hoffmann Scholarship, Connecticut Architecture Foundation
Established in partnership with the Connecticut Architecture Foundation by Hoffmann Architects + Engineers, the Hoffmann Scholarship provides financial support and a paid summer internship to exceptional architecture and engineering students.
Matthew Zhou
SARA NY Design Award for Student Merit
Presented by the Society of American Registered Architects New York Council, the SARA NY Design Award for Student Merit recognizes exceptional design work and creative promise demonstrated by emerging student architects.
Matthew Zhou, Estephany Marcillo
2026 AIA/ACSA Grant Program Scholarship
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) provided grants to U.S.-based Full and Candidate member schools across 2025 and 2026 to support architectural education and program funding.
Ashley Concepcion Taveras
Concrete Masonry Check-Off Program Scholarship
This award supports student design-build studio projects at the Spitzer School that explore the creative potential and architectural applications of concrete masonry units.
Anastasia Protsak, Jennifer Gao
Spitzer Tuition Scholarship Award
Provided directly by the Spitzer School of Architecture, these awards offer vital financial support to help students with the costs of their architectural education.
Maraka Bradford, Aaliyah Lightfoot, Javon Morgan, Angelo Barravecchio, Carmela Cassara, Mario Alonso, Logan-Halle Wyatt, Harsukh Makkar, Honeyben Hiteshkumar Rank, Michelle Peña, Cuong Ngo, Akiva Groener, Shinichi Gushima, Lily Maenza, Amira Mezenner, Aiden Healy, Margret Fisher, Dillon Alwan, Christina Johnson, Julia Courgi
Edward Lyons Pryce, FASLA Scholarship, The Black Landscape Architect’s Network (BlackLAN)
This award supports exceptional Black students enrolled in accredited landscape architecture programs.
Jaden Davis
Alpha Rho Chi Bronze Medal
The award is given annually by Alpha Rho Chi, the National Professional Fraternity for Architecture and the Allied Arts, to the graduating professional architecture student who has demonstrated leadership, has performed willing service, and shows promise of real professional merit through attitude and personality.
Mikaila Meurer