by Genevieve Vargas, AIA
AIACV Vice President
Have you ever wondered what value your AIA membership has? Have you wondered how you can be more involved in the AIA? If you are a member and you are not involved, you may not be realizing all the benefits of membership.
I decided to get involved in the AIA when I was looking for connections with my peers. You may be in need of something similar. Maybe you want to connect with peers that do the same type of work as you? Here are a few options to consider. Our members are starting up a local Committee on Architecture for Education (CAE). We also have an newly re-invigorated Academy of Architecture for Health (AAH) committee, and local Custom Residential Architects Network (CRAN) that is evolving into Central Valley HOME / CRAN. Our Committee on the Environment is also active with a one-day symposium in the works. Come get involved!
Our goal at the AIACV Chapter is to be the voice of the local architectural profession, we are dedicated to serving our members, expanding the community’s understanding of the value of an architect, and improving the quality of the built environment.
There are so many ways to participate in our local Chapter. For example, did you know, any member of our Chapter can come to our monthly board meetings? They take place the second Thursday of each month at noon at the Chapter office (except in August). Stop by and check out your board at work for you. If you have an issue you want AIACV support on, you can reach out to any board member. Our contact information can be found on the Chapter website {https://aiacv.org/about/board-of-directors/}.
We have a very active Emerging Professional (EP) group that are driving much of our programming and leading AIACV into the future. If you have been licensed less than 10 years or you would like to help guide and mentor the future of our profession, check out what they are doing. They meet the first Wednesday of every month at noon. Coming up in February, they will start the “So You Want To Be… an Architect, Mentor and Speed Mentor Match” series. More details to come in our weekly NOTES newsletter. And last, but not least, if you are looking for support with your ARE licensure exams, we have a series of weekend classes using the AIA ARE Prep / Black Spectacles video program. They just started last weekend, so it’s not too late to join in.
Get involved today and learn the true value of your membership. I look forward to seeing you at an event, committee meeting, or EP program soon.