2021 Desiree Cooper Scholarship

2021 ARE Scholarships

For the fourth year, The Desiree V. Cooper (DVC) Memorial Scholarship Foundation will award outstanding candidates a scholarship toward their architecture exam. This scholarship supplements expenses for the Architecture Registration Exam (ARE). This year with increased financial support the committee increased the amount and number of awards.

The jury, consisting of friends, colleagues, and family of Desiree Cooper, commends the strong field of candidates.
Awards will be given as follows:

The Black Women in Architecture award to Lecretia Janae Jones. The jury was “very impressed with [her] consistent focus on community service to the community through different areas,” and said “applicant is inspired and shows potential for genuine impact in the profession.”
The DC Memorial Award to Ramatoulie Sallah-Muhammed. The jury remarked she is “obviously super self-motivated; the number of community service organizations that she’s been a part of is pretty amazing.”

Two NOMA awards will be awarded.

IrvingWhitni First to Whitni Irving. The jury wrote, “applicant’s dedication and commitment to impact in the profession is admirable.”
Second to Colby Mitchell. The jury felt, “the tone of his submittal is so full of energy and passion for architecture and his community.”
An honorable mention in the Black Women in Architecture category will be awarded to Natasha Graves. The jury noted her “strong vision of the social impact she would like to impart to under resourced communities with her license.”

We wish all of the awardees and applicants much success in their future as they work toward completing the licensure process and advancing in the architecture profession.

We thank the jury for their time and support.
Chair: Richard Lyew, DC architect
Mrs Vivian Cooper, mother
Yinka Ajirotutu, friend
Devanne Pena, architect, NCSU alum
Carolyn Rickard-Brideau, Little Architects

Download the 2021 award announcement press release.

Listen to the scholarship founders and past winners discuss the award program on a recent episode of the Architecture is Political podcast.

Thank you to those who donated toward the 2021 Awards.
Carolyn Rickard-Brideau, AIA Northern Virginia, Mr Norman & Mrs Vivian Cooper, Marci Reed, Leslie Sydnor, Angela King, Chelsea Davis, Taiesha Edwards, Feyi Quadri, Heba Elamin, Cynthia Shonaiya, Marci Reed, Jessica Kelly, Tamara Hopkins, Rasheda Tripp, Riziki House, Stephanie Paul, Nekia Strong, Jerielle Ward, Nicole Kumar, Talisha Sainvil, Elizabeth Ebofin, Demetra Thornton, Felicia Middleton, Brunie Pierre, Renee Pean, Carol Corr, Azizi Arrington-Slocum, Anta Miranda, Stephonie Brackett, Kalia Lucas, Fred Scharmen, Katie Beth Williams, Genell Anderson, Shani Chambers, Elaina Ricks, Jillian Tillery, Erica Farhat, Nakita Reed, Chaundra Richardson, Annette Adams-Beckford, Carole Wedge, Morina Peterson, Joyce Selina Love, Denver L Terrance, Kathleen Sherrill, Karmen Bryant, Darlene Bowers, Mashawnta Armstrong, Linda Nunnelly, Sammer Mohamed, Kathryn Prigmore, Roberta Washington, Susan Frieson, Tya Winn, Alexandria Davis, Dawn Hicks, Sharlita Olaleye, Michele Crawford, Yvonne Flagg, Saundra Little, Janaya Hart, Tenetia Mack, Crystal Satterfield, A Jean, Karen Anderson, Jacquelyn Glover, T. Camille Martin-Thomsen, Annette Carter, Katie Swenson, Ashlen Williams, Dina Griffin, Christina Bollo, Melvin Mitchell, Bryan Hudson. Proceeds from the 2020 Black Women in Architecture Brunch.

About the Desiree Cooper Scholarship