The mission of the Emerging Professionals Committee (EPC) is “to provide an open forum for professionals at the early stages of their careers to engage and connect through networking, leadership, and professional development programs.”

Programs and activities organized by the committee include field trips, lectures, roundtable discussions, and seminars relevant to emerging professionals. The committee also engages with architecture students to help guide them along the path to a professional career in architecture.

EP Friendly Firm Award Program

Applications are now open for the 2025-2026 Emerging Professional Friendly Firm Award.

Does your firm provide support to emerging professionals? This award program recognizes firms in the Upper Midwest committed to supporting early career professionals. Firms with an office in Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, or South Dakota are eligible to apply. The deadline to apply is September 1, 2025.

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Join the NextGen AIA Minnesota Team!

AIA Minnesota is actively seeking determined individuals to help shape the experience of recent grads and emerging professionals in the AIA and in the architectural field.

We’re forming two new sprint work groups:

NextGen Strategic Task Force

Prepare a multi-year plan for launch at this year’s AIA MN Conference

Website for the Next Generation (Web NextGen)

Rethink the current AIA Minnesota website as a hub for emerging professionals

If you are early in your architecture career — recent graduate through the first 10 years of practice – and you have time you can devote between June-October*, email EVP/Executive Director Mary-Margaret Zindren at zindren@aia-mn.org. Indicate which work group you are most interested in joining.

* We expect the NextGen Strategic Task Force will meet three times, with email communication in between: June 13, July 25, and August 15; all 3:30-7pm, food and drink provided. The Web NextGen working group will have multiple options for when and how to engage, informed by the timeline soon to be set with our web design firm, Us Creative Group.

Joining the NextGen team will expand your professional network, foster a sense of community within the field for new designers, and create new opportunities for impact.

Chair: Nicole Kiel, AIA and Nathan Anderson, AIA 
Staff liaison: Mary-Margaret Zindren and Deanna Christiansen, Hon. AIAMN
Meeting date: Quarterly on the second Tuesday at 12:00 pm via Zoom