Value of AIA Membership

My final event as co-chair of the Indianapolis Young Architects Forum was this evening. It was bittersweet to end my two year term in this position given the great programs we’ve had, but the desire to get more people involved. This final event had exiting AIA Indy chapter president Dan Weinheimer and incoming president Sanford Garner presenting on what the AIA accomplished in 2008 and what is in store for 2009.

2008 had nine local chapter programs (and twelve YAF events!). The chapter supported sustainable design legislation and defended against restrictive k-12 school design legislation. All in all, it was a good year. But we have to ask ourselves, am I getting the value from this organization for the amount I pay in dues? I think I am with the AIA, right now.

Nationally, the AIA publishes the industry’s leading contract documents, provides an incredible amount of professional information online at AIA.org and soloso.aia.org, and they track my continuing education credits for me. The Boston Society of Architects (known as BSA, the Boston AIA chapter) gave me a travel grant and free registration for the 2008 national convention, a very generous gift giving me the opportunity to really see a benefit of the AIA (the best architectural convention I’ve ever attended before).

Locally, being active with the AIA has allowed me to grow my network of local architects quickly, the opportunity to talk with and learn from several of the firm owners in the city, and gave me a venue to grow professionally. I find value in the AIA and I think any young architect who wants to grow as fast as they can will too.

Doing

Ok, I officially have analysis paralysis. I've stared scared at my blog for a couple of months… afraid to write the wrong thing, what would someone what to read from me? Well, I hope to have broken out with my decision to create content and work towards meaningful, interesting entries in the future. For today, let’s talk about doing.

If you read my past blog entries or know me, I’m very involved in the things I do. In fact, my challenge is typically deciding what to decline more than what to shoot for. I have typically attributed this to my desire to improve the things around me. For instance, I joined the AIA after receiving my license to practice architecture; not joining until I could be a full member (an unlicensed architect is an Associate AIA member). After being a member 10-months and attending the handful of meeting held locally I wasn't getting anything out of the $500+ it cost to join (a lot of money in the Wagner household). So, I contacted the local chapter president and asked, how can I help? I was appointed co-chair of the Young Architects Forum (YAF) committee, a group I had only attending one event with, and thoroughly enjoyed (perhaps a topic for another blog). Before I knew it, we had actually created a committee and starting providing monthly meetings to all young architects in central Indiana. I was appointed to a second year and in 2008 we hit our stride with a strong committee and GREAT programs all year. I’m now handing the reins over to new leaders to keep improving and growing the group.

My point, I can’t sit back and do nothing. Neither should you. I think everyone needs to try and develop a strategy for improvement, then get started. The downside, I’ve reached the point of having a full plate and the need to re-center my priorities. So as I started this blog, my task now is deciding what to decline, because opportunities abound. There is no reason to be bored in this life, need is all around us. Find your passion, find others that share it, then get started creating better opportunities to do the things you love.

Speaking of doing, I’m off to my first ACE Mentoring session at Decatur Central H.S. soon (perhaps I’ll blog about mentoring…), let’s see if I can impart my advice of “doing” to these high school kids interested in design and construction.