ACCI Receives Bronze Metal

At this year's AIA Georgia 2019 Design and Honor Awards, held at Ponce City Markets' Rooftop Terrace on April 27th, The Atlanta Center for Creative Inquiry (ACCI) was awarded the Bronze Medal. This award recognizes an individual or organization that uses their insights, talents, training and experience to contribute meaningfully to the objectives of the American Institute of Architects to be the voice of the architectural profession and the resource for its members in service to society."

The Atlanta Center for Creative Inquiry seeks to reverse trends showing a decline in the study and employment of under-represented students in careers concerned with the built environment. Its purpose is to get more students in the pipeline to pursue careers in architectures and other creative avenues through mentoring and exposure.

ACCI was initiated in 2004 by legendary architect Oscar Harris, in partnership with Georgia Tech and Benjamin Mayes High School. It was envisioned as a demonstration project to introduce minority high school students to architecture and design early in life. The organization has mentored hundreds of students since 2004, with many going on to pursue careers in architecture, engineering, and construction fields. The organization's unwavering commitment to the mentorship of future leaders of the profession make their mission and vision an outstanding recipient of the Bronze Medal.

Kennesaw State Department of Architecture's Professor Marietta Monaghan is one of many dedicated individuals who give their time and effort to make the vision come to pass. In 2011 she joined forces with the ACCI at Marietta High School to help their excellent teacher, Leon Grant, grow their pre-architecture and pre-engineering programs. In 2015 Monaghan re-organized a Summer Academy at Georgia Tech which had been discontinued. It was a great success with the help of KSU Architecture's Professor Ed Akins. In 2016 another Summer Academy was begun at Kennesaw State with the help of Akins and Dr. Tony Rizzuto, Chair. Professor Peter Pittman Monaghan at Tech. Both programs have been built to be challenging, yet empowering for students interested in the STEM fields. Of course, none of this could have happened without the ACCI Board of Directors and Oscar Harris.