Thomas F. Ellerbe Scholarship
Pictured above are the nine finalists: back row, left to right: Jarett Anderson, Adam Jarvi, Federico Garcia,
Michelle Ney, Kelly Day, Petro Megits; front row, left to right: Rhonda Pike, Jesse Zeien, Melissa Hoeft.
2009 Scholarship Recipients
The Minnesota Architectural Foundation’s Thomas F. Ellerbe Scholarship named Federico Garcia and Petro Megits as the two award winners for 2009. Each received a $2,500 cash award and a wall plaque for having their portfolios judged the best according to assessment criteria that included: rigor of design, general creativity, clarity of presentation and range of challenges explored.
Initially funded in 1981 by the Ellerbe firm in honor of Thomas F. Ellerbe, FAIA, the scholarship grants annual awards to exemplary University of Minnesota architectural students in the final year of their master's program and meeting high academic standards. The scholarship has the flexibility to grant engineering student awards also. Since its inception in 1981 there have been 12 engineering and 38 architectural recipients. A total of $104,500 has been awarded.
A jury of architects from the Minnesota Architectural Foundation’s Ellerbe Committee judged this year’s entries. Each jury member spent private time reviewing the portfolios in the week prior to the final jury. The jury then assembled as a group, well educated and ready for the final deliberations. It was difficult to narrow the selection to two because all of the student finalist portfolios were so well crafted. The students and the School of Architecture can and should be proud of their accomplishments.
The celebration ceremony was held at the Ellerbe Becket Minneapolis office Tuesday, February 24 from 5:30-7:00 p.m. and honored all nine finalists, who include: Jarett Anderson, Kelly Day, Federico Garcia, Melissa Hoeft, Adam Jarvi, Petro Megits, Michelle Ney, Rhonda Pike, and Jesse Zeien.
Ellerbe Becket marks the firm’s 100th anniversary in 2009. Plans for other celebratory events during the year are underway.