Fay Jones School Alumni, Design Supporters Honored During Recognition Ceremony

The Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design at the U of A recently honored multiple individuals and organizations for their contributions to the school, university and culture of design with Awards for Distinction. These awards were presented, along with annual alumni design awards, during the school's Winter Fest Reception and Alumni Recognition Ceremony, held Jan. 30 at Vol Walker Hall on the university campus. The school also recognized Golden Graduates, alumni who graduated from the university 50 years ago.

"The school's annual Awards for Distinction honorees represent the distinctiveness overall of our staff, our alumni and our friends and benefactors," said Peter MacKeith, dean of the school. "We benefit immensely from so much goodwill, hard work and generosity, and this event offers us an opportunity to recognize as many individuals and organizations as possible in a single evening. I resound the congratulations and gratitude of the award ceremony, and thank again all our honored recipients."

Distinguished Service Awards

Distinguished Service Awards were given to Francesco Bedeschi, Jackie McClelland and Jonathan Boelkins. This distinction is awarded annually in recognition of the recipient's significant contributions to the students and resources of the Fay Jones School, the university and the community.

Bedeschi is a registered architect and a cornerstone of the U of A's presence in Italy. Since 2003, he has shaped the education of Fay Jones School students after taking the helm as director of the U of A Rome Center in 2019. A recognized pioneer in sustainability, Bedeschi was among Italy's first LEED accredited professionals and became the nation's first SITES accredited professional. He seamlessly bridges academia and industry as the director of operations (EMEA) for SINERGI, where he leverages more than 20 years of expertise to lead complex, high-performance projects across Europe and the Middle East.

McLelland serves as the business director for Garvan Woodland Gardens, an outreach center of the Fay Jones School. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in accounting from Henderson State University. McLelland has overseen the budgets and financial statements of the university's botanical garden for 22 years. During her tenure, she has strengthened internal controls, enhanced financial transparenc, and built strong relationships across campus.

Boelkins, a Fay Jones School alumnus, is an architect, writer and teacher. Boelkins was recognized as one of 12 Scholars of Professional Practice nationally by the National Council of Architecture Registration Boards in 2019. An advocate for mass timber, he was involved in the commissioning and construction of the Anthony Timberlands Center for Design and Materials Innovation. Boelkins was formerly the studio director of the internationally acclaimed design firm Marlon Blackwell Architects, where he made significant contributions to the design, construction and recognition of numerous award-winning projects. As a writer and editor, Boelkins has contributed to numerous publications, including the upcoming book Out There: New Architecture Across America from Merrell Publishers.

Dean's Medals

Dean's Medals were given to Grafton Architects of Dublin, Ireland; Susan Chin, with DesignConnects; University of Arkansas at Monticello's College of Forestry, Agriculture, and Natural Resources; the City of Fayetteville; KUAF, the local NPR affiliate; and Weyerhaeuser. This distinction is awarded annually in recognition of the recipient's significant contributions to the architecture and design culture of the state of Arkansas and to students and their education at the Fay Jones School.

Distinguished Alumni Awards

Distinguished Alumni Awards went to David Porter (B.Arch. '82), Christopher Brown (B.Arch. '04), Gretta Tritch Roman (B.Arch. '05) and Valli Wiggins (B.I.D. '85). This distinction is awarded annually in recognition of an alumnus or alumna for significant, continuing contributions to the architecture and design culture locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

Porter is CEO and a principal with Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects. He has been responsible for the management of numerous multifaceted projects across the state of Arkansas throughout his 40-year career. He joined the firm in 1984 and, in addition to firm leadership as CEO, has worked on various project types, including cultural and civic, K-12 and higher education, and corporate campuses.

Brown, AIA, is a 2004 graduate of the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design. He began his professional career in Southeast Asia before working in several internationally recognized design practices including Marlon Blackwell Architects and Allied Works Architecture. After founding Observation Studio in 2017, he was recognized with the Design Vanguard Award from Architectural Record in 2023. Brown regularly lectures and serves on design awards juries and is a member of the Professional Advisory Board at the Fay Jones School. As a teacher, Brown works with students at the University of Oregon and as a visiting critic at numerous other schools.

Tritch Roman is a research development professional and an architectural historian. She received her Bachelor of Architecture from the U of A before completing both an M.A. and Ph.D. in the history of art and architecture at Penn State. She now serves as director of research development and initiatives at Penn State, leading efforts to advance interdisciplinary research, manage complex proposal development and align the College of Agricultural Sciences' research portfolio with institutional, state and federal priorities.

Wiggins is the owner of Valli Design Studio, which she founded 27 years ago. Focusing on higher-end design, she has worked on resorts, restaurants, senior living, high-end residential and multifamily housing, while incorporating sustainability into design. She started her career working with Gensler LA & HBG.

Emerging Alumni Awards

Emerging Alumni Awards went to Selwyn Bachus II (B.Arch. '19), Sloan Aulgur (B.I.D. '20), Isaac Boroughs (B.I.D '16) and Joshua Braden (B.L.A. '21). This distinction is awarded annually in recognition of an alumnus or alumna for significant contributions to the architecture and design culture — locally, regionally, nationally or internationally — made within the first 15 years following graduation.

Bachus is a licensed architect in New York state, with three years of professional experience at Gensler, where he uses the power of design to create spaces that encourage freedom, liberation and repose. Bachus is a 2022 graduate of the Harvard University Graduate School of Design and a 2019 graduate of the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design at the U of A. His experiences at the U of A undergird his current pedagogical practice, which spans from university-level architecture studios to early childhood workshops introducing youth to the design professions.

Aulgur is a designer, researcher and playwright whose work explores narrative and lived experience. Her recent projects span spatial, exhibition and scenic design, treating interiors as performative sites for collective inquiry. She holds a Master of Architecture from MIT and a Bachelor of Interior Architecture and Design from the U of A and is designing experiences at Rockwell Group in New York.

Boroughs is an Arkansas native and Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design graduate. After completing his professional degree, Boroughs settled in Dallas, Texas, where he currently resides. Boroughs is the design director at the AD100 architecture and design firm Ten Plus Three, where he leads a team to create custom, luxury residential and commercial projects.

Braden is a landscape designer based in the Houston Studio at Design Workshop, where their work is informed by a strong commitment to ecological stewardship and botanically driven design, with a focus on connecting people to their local ecological systems. They are a member of the Society for Ecological Restoration, a Texas Master Naturalist and a Future Leader of Galveston Bay. Their projects, such as the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden Master Plan and the Bluebonnet Swamp Conservation Area Vision Plan, showcase their ability to blend creativity with functional design solutions that enhance public spaces and ecological communities.