The following is a press release from the Boston- and Los Angeles–based studio Bergmeyer announcing its partnership with The Hip Hop Architecture Camp for its inaugural scholarship. The HHAC was founded by Michael Ford, Assoc. AIA, in 2016 to introduce underrepresented middle- and high-school students to the design and architecture community.
Bergmeyer, the award-winning design collaborative based in Boston and Los Angeles, is partnering with The Hip Hop Architecture Camp (The HHAC) for its first-ever Scholarship and Internship Program for underrepresented high school seniors and college freshmen pursuing a career in architectural design. Applications are open for submission from August 30th, 2021, through December 10th, 2021, and the recipient awarded the honor will receive a $1500.00 scholarship and a week-long internship with Bergmeyer in 2022. The recipient will be notified via email on December 17, 2021.
“I am extremely honored to partner with Bergmeyer and build on a long-term relationship with Mike Davis, FAIA to not only provide a scholarship to a young person looking to study architecture but provide real world experience and an opportunity to travel to Boston,” said Mike Ford, Founder of The Hip Hop Architecture Camp. “This is the first year in what will be a long-term partnership to support industry wide efforts to empower the diverse professionals we introduce to architecture.”
courtesy Bergmeyer
The partnership between Bergmeyer and The HHAC strategically extends support past the financial opportunity of the scholarship with the implementation of the design internship, which provides the student awarded a hands-on experience to learn and develop their skills in architecture, urban planning, and design. Providing students from underrepresented populations the opportunity to gain real-world experience working in a professional setting is a mission-critical component to Bergmeyer’s approach to furthering equity, diversity, and inclusion through actionable efforts in the architecture and design industries.
“Mike Ford is truly a revolutionary,” says Bergmeyer President Mike Davis, FAIA, LEED AP. “His approach – using hip hop culture as a critical lens to introduce Black and Minority youth to the creative potential of architecture and design – is something that virtually no one else is doing. He is single-handedly changing how an entire generation of expressive young Americans sees and understands design as a profession, creating exactly the change that architecture needs right now. Bergmeyer is proud to be able to sponsor his important work.
Students interested in applying for the Hip Hop Architecture Camp x Bergmeyer Scholarship and Internship opportunity must be current public-school seniors who plan to enroll at a college or university to major in architecture, or current college freshman enrolled at a NAAB accredited School of Architecture in the United States. The second year of the scholarship funding is dependent on demonstrated successful completion of the student’s first year.
Scholarship amount: $1,500.00
Paid Internship: The scholarship recipient will receive a one-week, paid internship at Bergmeyer located in Boston, MA during the summer of 2022.
Travel: If the scholarship recipient is not located in Boston, all travel and lodging expenses will be paid for the recipient to travel to Boston during the summer of 2022 to participate in the internship at Bergmeyer.
Application deadline: Friday, December 10th, 2021 at 5:00PM EST (Application period open from August 30th, 2021 through December 10th, 2021)