Architecture and Design

For the third year in a row, Alfred State placed first in the design-build division in the Associated Schools of Construction Region 1 Student Competition held in Albany.

The design-build category was one of four divisions (pre-construction, commercial, and heavy-civil) at the event. Alfred State took the top spot ahead of Farmingdale State College, Roger Williams University, and the University at Buffalo. ASC also had a strong showing in the commercial division.

A team of five Alfred State students was the Liberty Northeast Region winner in the 2024 National Student Design-Build Competition sponsored by the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA). The victory allowed the students to attend the DBIA’s Design-Build Conference & Expo (Dallas, TX) along with the seven other regional winners.   

Alfred State Professor William Dean, '85, was honored with the Medal of Distinction from the Rochester chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). ASC alum Samantha Towner, ’22, Bryan Toepfer, ’11, and Jay Woodcock, ’94, were also honored.  

Dean has taught at Alfred State since 2000 and was recognized for a lifetime of achievement in architecture. He has had a resounding impact on the architecture community in Rochester and as an educator he has worked to shape multiple cohorts of Architects and designers.   

Alfred State student Al-Aqib Coulibaly (Bronx) was one of 52 SUNY EOP students honored with the Norman R. McConney, Jr. Award for Student Excellence. The award, now celebrating its fourth class of awardees, recognizes outstanding EOP students for their academic merit and strength in overcoming significant personal obstacles throughout their lives.

Katelyn James (Buffalo, NY) and Colin Thompson (Webster, NY) were honored with the Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence. The pair were two of 193 SUNY students honored by Chancellor John B. King, Jr.

James, a business administration major with a minor in logistics and supply chain management, has excelled in her roles as a tutor, admissions ambassador, president of her sorority Alpha Bet Chi, resident assistant, and orientation coordinator during her time at Alfred State.

Joanna Musacchio (Canastota, NY) has been able to make Alfred State home by combining her academic and campus activities to prepare to be in demand as she enters the workforce. 

Watch Joanna's Pioneer PROfile video

Alfred felt like her hometown. “It is pretty much the same environment as where I grew up and I felt really connected here. I was able to study both architecture and interior design. It was a perfect school to get experience in both areas.”

Nine architecture students were inducted in the inaugural class of Alfred State’s Tau Sigma Delta honor society at an event in the Allegany Room. 

Photos from the event

Tau Sigma Delta Honor Society in Architecture and Allied Arts is the only national honor society for architecture and design majors that is accredited by the Association of College Honor Societies.

John Snyder (Buffalo, NY) has raised his knowledge and experiences at Alfred State as he builds towards a career as an architect. Along his journey he has taken various paths to fly towards success.

“I chose Alfred State after looking at a bunch of different architecture schools around the area and what really drew me here was their technical background and their value in the field. I talked to different architects and engineers and all of them said the same thing. Alfred graduates were ready to go when they get put into any project and everyone was satisfied with their work.”

Alfred State College (ASC) architecture students in Design Studio 5 presented comprehensive plans to reimagine the Village of Angelica. Two groups of fifteen students worked for eight weeks and presented their concepts and ideas to citizens in Angelica.

View a photo gallery from the presentation