The goals of the Next Gen Initiative are to:

Create a strong ecosystem of community, mentorship, and resources to further: 

1.  Successful transitions from student to professional.

2.  Meaningful connections and learning among Emerging Professionals and across generations.

3.  Accessible and rewarding pursuit of licensure.

4.  Compensation and paths to promotion that are fair and transparent.

5.  Reasonable workloads that support healthy lives.


This ecosystem includes many important stakeholders:

• Emerging Professionals themselves;

• Volunteer leaders and staff of state and local chapters of the AIA in Minnesota and the Minnesota Architectural Foundation;

• Firm leaders at all levels;

• Faculty and administrators of Minnesota’s schools of architecture; and

• Leaders of our collaborative associations of architects, architectural designers, and students (e.g., MSP NOMA, AIAS, WIASO, NOMAS).

The Board committed AIA Minnesota to a five-year intensive focus on plan implementation.

Board members also recognized that we are not starting from a blank slate. There are many great efforts led by architecture firms, schools of architecture, the MAF, and the state and local chapters of AIA in Minnesota that already support community-building, create mentorship opportunities, and provide resources to Emerging Professionals. The Next Gen Initiative will work to strengthen what is already happening, learn from past efforts, and renew collaborations that move Emerging Professionals and the entire architecture community forward for years to come.

We aim to be a national leader in supporting Emerging Professionals and their success in architecture. New groups to finalize the implementation plan and get to work will be formed in the months to come.