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Class is back in session.

We welcome a record number of students at the School of Architecture this fall; 236 students enrolled in studios translates to every desk filled, discussion spaces across the bridge and an auditorium and Jury Room that, even together, do not hold everyone on our Starkville campus. Although we are a bit cozy, the Barn is full of energy. We have eight student organizations, with Latinx Architecture as the latest addition. We are preparing to send a contingent of students to Morocco as part of an exchange with the International University of Rabat. Establishing student and faculty exchanges with this program as well as the Welsh School of Architecture at Cardiff University in Wales is currently underway. We are coordinating with SS&L and Poole & Co in studios, connecting them with upper-level students to help bridge the gap between academia and practice. Our Master of Science in Architecture is scheduled to be re-instituted soon.

While we are moving forward, we are also taking time to review our program and understand where we are and what we offer. Under the guidance of Jassen Callender and Aaron White, the faculty is engaged in deep discussions of architecture education and the qualities we want our graduates to have. The power that architects hold, and the opportunities that architecture provides is critical to convey, discuss and explore to serve Mississippi and beyond. This has been the standard for 50 years, and we will continue to uphold this benchmark.

All the best,

                                                  Karen Cordes Spence, Ph.D., AIA, LEED AP
                                                  Director and F.L. Crane Professor