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Student Organizations

The School of Architecture maintains some of the most active student organizations of any architecture program in the country. Through participation in these organizations, students enrich and enhance their academic experience.

Alpha Rho Chi Symbol

Alpha Rho Chi

Alpha Rho Chi is a national co-educational fraternity that caters to students in architecture and the allied arts. This professional/social organization was founded in 1914 through the joint effort of students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. The Illinois Anthemios chapter is one of the strongest of the 32 active chapters. With an expanding membership and devoted active members, the chapter and chapter house are experiencing constant improvement and renovation.

The chapter house, which appears on the National Register of Historic Places, represents the ideals of the Arts and Crafts movement. Built between 1927 and 1931 by Joseph William Royer, it is modeled after the famous Red House in Bexley Heath, England. The exterior is ornamented with various colors and textures of brick, and the clay roofing tiles strengthen the house’s handcrafted theme.

The chapter holds a variety of programs, ranging from lectures and art shows to design critiques, as well as many social functions.

If you are interested or have any questions, please email joinapx@gmail.com or fill out the interest form here.

2025-2026 APX Board

Alpha Rho Chi Symbol
AIAS members standing together

American Institute of Architecture Students

The American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) is a national organization that represents student opinions on the Boards of Directors of the American Institute of Architects, the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, the National Architectural Accrediting Board, and various other organizations involved with the discipline and profession of Architecture. Being a national member of AIA and AIAS is common among architects nationwide.

The University of Illinois chapter of AIAS regularly holds T-shirt design contests, portfolio workshops, social events, study groups, a Chicago firm crawl, and more. There are numerous competitions, scholarship opportunities, fellowship opportunities, and job opportunities exclusively available to AIAS students.

If you have any questions or are interested, please send an email to uiuc@aias.org.

2025-2026 AIAS Board

  • President: Clare Smith
  • Vice-President: Alex Walawender
  • Treasurer: Eddie Walsh
  • Secretary/Membership Director: Laura Heuser
  • Marketing Director/Social Media Manager: Reese Bechtlofft
  • Faculty Advisor: Randy Deutsch
AIAS members standing together

Architecture Student Advisory Council

The Architecture Student Advisory Council (ASAC) exists to improve communication between the students, staff, faculty, and administration of the school. ASAC provides a forum for discussion of a wide range of issues. ASAC conducts student activities, organizes student actions, solicits student opinions, and makes recommendations to the administration. ASAC executive officers play an advisory role to the administration.

ASAC solicits student opinions about faculty excellence through their annual Excellence In Teaching awards program; these awards are presented at the Annual Architecture Awards (A3).

2025-2026 ASAC Board

  • Track 1 – Kiran Binani
  • Track 2 – Emma Busath
  • 2nd Year Graduate Representative: Michael Cachur
  • Senior Representatives: Emilie Cooper and Jake Chi (Barcelona) and Adam Lupatkin (Campus)
  • Junior Representatives: Camille Rose and Jasmine Davis
  • Sophomore Representatives: Katja Siebrits and Emily Do
  • Freshmen Representatives: Yash Khanna and Alim Yoo
architecture ambassador's standing by a display

Architecture Student Ambassadors

The Architecture Student Ambassadors program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) serves as a vital link between the School of Architecture and prospective and newly admitted students. This program provides an immersive experience, offering a comprehensive glimpse into the academic and social aspects of life at UIUC’s College of Fine and Applied Arts. Ambassadors lead detailed campus tours, hold Q&A sessions, conduct workshops, and participate in university events to highlight the strengths and opportunities within the architecture program. They also act as mentors, providing support and guidance to new students as they transition into university life.

A standout feature of the program is the Letter Writing Campaign, where ambassadors write personalized letters to admitted students, expressing excitement about their acceptance, and offering a warm welcome. These letters also encourage new students to reach out with any questions, fostering a sense of belonging even before they arrive on campus. By creating a welcoming and informative environment, the Architecture Student Ambassadors play a crucial role in attracting and encouraging prospective students to choose UIUC for their architectural education. Their efforts significantly influence students’ decisions to join the university, contributing to the overall growth and diversity of the architecture program

Please use this link for any questions, such as joining:

uiuc.architectureambassadors@gmail.com

2025-2026 Student Ambassadors:

    • Co-Presidents:  Adam Lupatkin and Stephanie Oberheu
    • Secretary:  Yifan Yao
architecture ambassador's standing by a display

Gargoyle Architecture Honor Society

Founded in 1918, the University of Illinois chapter of the national Gargoyle Architecture Honor Society is an academically elite group of Architecture students and faculty who have demonstrated an uncommon degree of scholarship and excellence in their everyday activities. Gargoyle recognizes academic excellence and proficiency in Architecture and promotes an attitude of responsibility, professionalism, and service. Although membership is by invitation only, Gargoyle sponsors and encourages activities that promote and reflect the ideals of the organization throughout the school.

If you are interested or have any questions, please email gargoyleuiuc@gmail.com

2025-2026 Gargoyle Board

  • President: Caroline Hooks (BS 2026)
  • Vice President: Lindsey Huelsmann (BS 2026)
  • Treasurer: Kaitlyn Reedy (BS 2026)
  • Secretary: Ashley Weidner (BS 2026)
  • Public Relations Manager: Itzel Cruz Davalos (BS 2027)

Hispanic Organization of Urban Studies and the Environment

HOUSE is a Hispanic and Afro-Latinx involvement in the development of environmental professionals in the fields of Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban Planning and the Arts, and acts as a support network that helps students with their day to day academic challenges and addresses ways that students can play a role as future professionals.

Interested in joining?!  Click here!

Instagram: @house_uiuc

Email us at: houseuiuc2018@gmail.com

2025-2026 HOUSE Board

NOMAS members standing together

The National Organization of Minority Architecture Students (NOMAS)

NOMAS is dedicated to racial and cultural pluralism in the architecture profession. NOMAS is an academic, professional, and service organization that seeks to provide the collective voice of minority architecture students within the school by building a sense of community based on shared experiences unique to minority students. Through strong leadership, service, and networking with minority professionals, NOMAS serves as an anchor for the accomplishments of minority students.

The Illinois chapter was founded in 1978 by Ernest Clay. As a Project 500 student at Illinois in the mid-1960s, Clay was one of the first African-American students to enroll in the school, and he later became an accomplished architect and professor. It is on this spirit of accomplishment that the proud tradition of NOMAS seeks to build its foundation.

Please contact us for questions regarding joining, events or more at nomas.illinois@gmail.com

2025-2026 NOMAS Board

  • President: Naomi Rugutt
  • Vice President: Sasha Reese
  • Secretary: Osi Ubaghara
  • Treasurer: Miya Muhammad
  • Event Coordinator: Guadalupe Rodriguez
  • Marketing Director: Eillen Nigos
NOMAS members standing together
rickers journey from 2024

Ricker Report

Ricker Report is the School of Architecture’s award winning independent student-run journal.

Originally, Ricker Notes was a periodical for the School of Architecture edited and published by students, who included feature articles, news, poetry, drawings, and book reviews. The title “Ricker” refers to Nathan Clifford Ricker, the first graduate of an architecture program in the United States (in March of 1873).

In 2018, Ricker Notes returned in the form of Ricker Report. The goal of the new Ricker Report is to connect architecture, engineering, and other disciplines while featuring students, alumni, and other talented professionals.

Ricker Report is dedicated to the memory of Emeritus Professor James Warfield and Architecture Ricker Librarian Chris Quinn. Their passion and loyalty to the School of Architecture, Ricker Library, and the University of Illinois continues to inspire students each day.

2025-2026 Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Emilie Cooper

 

Art Director: Xiaoyi Zhu

Director of Operations: Laura Heuser

Lead Editor: Brady Monahan

Editors: Pushpanjli, Henry Sloan, Julia Davis

Graphic Designers: Fran Austriaco, Giorgio Riccardo D’Attoma

Faculty Advisor: Joseph Altshuler

rickers journey from 2024

Root to Roof

Root to Roof is a student-led design-build organization serving the broader community. Our mission is to engage future architects to think critically about locally harvested lumber, hand-crafting, and the principles of sustainability through active project planning and participation. The impact includes: 1) Providing students with tangible experience and encouraging civic engagement; 2) Using the power of design and craft to create solutions for community needs. The organization will start with small-scale intervention projects. Root to Roof eventually aims to create quality, energy efficient large-scale solutions to solve for issues of homelessness and poverty in the local area.

2025-2026 Root to Roof Board

  • President: Ava Unverzagt
  • Vice President: Ainsley Rothrock
  • Treasurer: Kaia Rytel
  • Membership Coordinator: Anna Creech
  • Secretary: Owen Smyth
  • Faculty Advisor: Lowell Miller

Instagram: @roottoroof_

Website: roottoroof.com

Get Involved – https://illinois.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/roottoroof

Society for Business and Management in Architecture (SBMA)

The primary goal of the Society for Business and Management in Architecture (SBMA) is to inform and educate architecture students about the vast array of opportunities available to them in the fields of firm management, real estate, construction management, development, and law. To accomplish this goal, SBMA bridges the gap between architecture and business, enabling architecture students to develop into future business leaders. SBMA introduces architecture students to the business world, providing information about professional and corporate environments. SBMA provides a forum for collaboration and networking through a regular series of events involving successful professionals and the student body.

Every student will eventually interact with the business world. A sound understanding of business principles is becoming increasingly necessary for future architects, especially those who aspire to own or manage their own firm. An architectural education also provides a good foundation for careers in real estate, construction management, and development. The University of Illinois offers outstanding programs in both architecture and business; SBMA brings the resources of these programs together to provide valuable knowledge to its members. Several members of SBMA participate in the three-year M.Arch/MBA program. SBMA advocates a new approach to the architecture profession: uniting solid design judgment with savvy business expertise.

2025-2026 SBMA Board

  • President: Pushpanjli
  • Vice-President: Julia Davis
  • Secretary: Lizbeth Delgado
  • Treasurer: Taylor Hug
  • Event Chair: Naomi Rugutt
  • Graphic Chair: Margret Schmidt
  • Advisor: Randy Deutsch

Solar Decathlon

Solar Decathlon Illinois RSO (registered student organization) is a multi-disciplinary organization that formed after the University’s involvement in three past Solar Decathlon competitions.  Starting in 2002, the US Department of Energy sponsors a biannual competition where twenty Universities from around the world design and construct an innovative and efficient net-zero home.  They are transported to a central location and over the course of a week the homes are judged in ten different criteria including energy balance, architecture, communications, and market appeal to name a few.

The RSO works to recruit future team members, maintain sponsor relations, and help maintain the three past homes that are near campus.  We work to educate the campus and community about the importance of sustainable energy efficient homes and hope to provide a strong foundation for future Illinois Decathlon teams.  New members are always welcome and there are many opportunities for involvement including working on past homes, marketing efforts, or even being part of the next design team.  Contact uiucsolardecathlon@gmail.com with questions or requests for information.

2024-2025 Solar Decathlon Board

  • President: Eshana Jain
  • Vice President: Karina Jang
  • Treasurer: Gabriel Villanueva
  • Communications Director: Aarya Patel
  • Sponsorship Director: Lizet Alvarez
  • Sponsorship Deputy: Aditi Chockalingham
  • Marketing Director: Jisu Hong
  • Social Chair: Benny Winer

Women in Architecture

The mission of Women in Architecture (WIA) is to cultivate and promote the development and leadership of women design professionals by providing a forum for empowering, networking, and mentoring to enhance the architectural community. Though we are a student organization, we also connect with the larger organization in Chicago to present different networking opportunities with working professionals. For more information on the Chicago organization, check out their website.

Please fill out this form if you are interested in joining our organization.

If you have any questions about WIA at UIUC, feel free to reach out to us at wia.illinois@gmail.com.

2025-2026 WIA Board

  • Co-Presidents: Sunaina Isaac & Sarah Kerlin
  • Vice President: Victoria Perez
  • Treasurer: Clare Smith
  • Event Coordinator: Isabella Coletta
  • Social Media Coordinator: Iman Qazi

Inactive Student Organizations

American Institute of Steel Construction

ARCHChina

Construction Management Association of American

Global Architecture Brigades

Rho Epsilon

Society for Evidence-Based Architecture

Society of Architectural Historians

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