Partnership with LAUSD Awards Summer Scholarships to 20 Students from Design-Focused STEM High Schools

UCLA Architecture and Urban Design is excited to announce a pioneering collaboration with Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). Twenty 11th grade students from design-focused STEM high schools will attend this year's Teen ArchStudio Summer Institute on full scholarships. The two-week residential program is an intensive, full-time summer architecture experience for high school students interested in exploring idea-driven design.

Structured around the experience of an architectural design studio typically offered within the curriculum of an undergraduate architecture program, students focus on developing design skills through space, and form making, and related 2D and 3D representation techniques. Individual and group projects generate a dynamic and productive environment designed to help students in their decision-making process as they consider future paths in higher education in architecture or other design-related fields.

Teen ArchStudio is one of two summer programs we offer, in collaboration with UCLA Summer Sessions. The second, JumpStart, is an intensive, four-week program for individuals contemplating careers in architecture, design, and related fields. Both programs offer students a glimpse into life at one of the leading public universities in the world, and provide access to courses and programming that is not available at many high schools. They culminate in critiques and final presentations of work through portfolios and exhibitions, giving students a chance to apply their skills and gain experience producing professional presentations and putting together materials needed to apply to college or find a job. Furthermore, after living in campus housing, taking courses, and interacting with other students and faculty, students can picture themselves pursuing architecture and design in a university setting, and feel more prepared and confident when they go to college.

Sponsorship for the twenty LAUSD summer architecture scholars is provided by UCLA AUD and the LAUSD's federally funded Youth CareerConnect (YCC) Grant. This initiative would not have been possible without the tireless support of the UCLA AUD Chair, Heather Roberge; UCLA AUD Director of Summer Programs, Mohamed Sharif; LAUSD Superintendent Austin Buetner; LAUSD Administrator, Linked Learning, CTE and Work Experience, Esther Soliman; LAUSD CTE Coordinator, Seema Puri; UCLA Assistant Vice Provost for Summer Sessions, Communications, and External Partnerships, Jaime Balboa; and UCLA Summer Sessions Director of Academic Programs, Jisoo Kim, Ph.D; as well as UCLA Summer Sessions staff members Alejandra Hurtado and Christopher Wiley.