Please join us in congratulating Raquel Vera, BArch, on winning the AWAF Foundation Scholarship of $5,000. She was presented with the award at a ceremony in Los Angeles.

Who is AWAF (Association for Women in Architecture Foundation)?

Established in 1997, the Association for Women in Architecture Foundation, Inc. (AWAF) is a tax-exempt charitable 501(c)(3) organization based in Los Angeles, California, dedicated to fostering educational and professional leadership opportunities for women in architecture and related fields.

Each year the AWAF celebrates some of the brightest emerging design talents by awarding merit-based scholarships to support these exceptional women in their continuing education. We also celebrate professional women in architecture and allied fields by awarding an annual Professional Development Fellowship to mid-career women with a minimum of 10 years in their profession.

The tremendous generosity of our donor base has allowed AWAF to flourish, in particular through a bequest from Sarah Hays (1954 – 2020). An article in Architect Magazine shed light on the bequest and what it means for the organization’s giving potential. You can read the article here.

EMPOWERING EMERGING WOMEN DESIGNERS

Thanks to the support of our amazing donors and underwriters, the AWA Foundation awarded eight scholarships this year to outstanding women shaping the future of our profession. Their efforts and passions highlight diversity, creativity, and the power of design to uplift and transform.

AWA Foundation Scholarship ($5,000)
Raquel Vera‑Mijares – an Academy of Art senior bridging communities with inclusive architectural practice.

AWAF Wena Dows Scholarship ($5,000)
Mariella Cajina – a Cal Poly SLO student and structural engineer passionate about sustainable, equitable housing.

Helms Design District Scholarship ($3,000)
Alana Abuchaibe – a Colombian‑American interdisciplinary designer advancing cultural preservation through storytelling.

AWAF Board Scholarship ($3,000)
Mary Dilanchian – a Woodbury senior weaving memory and emotional resonance into architectural narratives.

Commons at NHM Team Scholarship ($3,000)
Claire Guo – a Syracuse University undergraduate exploring political and cultural forces in design as a catalyst for change.

THE SARAH HAYS WINNERS

The AWA Foundation is proud to continue Sarah Hays’s legacy of design excellence and social engagement. Her transformative bequest in 2021 has allowed us to offer awards that recognize community-minded leadership and exceptional resilience, and begin a grant program affecting change outside the bounds of our own award programs.

Sarah Hays Social Impact Award ($7,500)
Georgie Ampudia (UCLA)
Passionate about addressing housing insecurity, the reviewers were highly impressed by Georgie as the student lead on the LuminOCity Project, her already impressive impacts on the profession and community, and her work in sustainable, affordable design.

Sarah Hays Community College Awards ($3,000 each)
Esperanza Herrera (ELAC → USC)
Andrea Factor (El Camino College → Cal Poly Pomona)
Both recipients shine through their storytelling, sketching, and commitment to inclusive, sustainable design as they transition to four-year architecture programs.

More Info at https://www.awaplusd.org/awaf-scholarships

Scholarship application requirements and evaluation criteria https://apply.mykaleidoscope.com/program/AWAFScholarship2025

Portfolio and Interview

Raquel has graciously shared her experience of the application process!

Finalists each had a 30-minute interview with two AWAF members. During the interview, candidates were asked to present one project for no longer than 5 minutes. Interview questions were: Tell us about yourself, Share challenges you faced and how you overcame them, Explain why the project was meaningful to you, and Talk about what you are currently doing and what you hope to do in the future.

Raquel shared that the interview wasn’t as formal as she had anticipated. It was an opportunity to share more about herself while also expressing her excitement for the project that she presented. She had memorized everything word-for-word the night before, but in the moment she decided to approach it as if she were talking to a friend, which made the experience feel more genuine and natural. She received feedback from her interviewers that she came across as confident and approachable.