Sealy Gives Inside View of AIA Jury of Fellows

Two years ago, Jim. W. Sealy, FAIA, NCARB, HFES, Hon. ICC, joined the ranks of the venerable American Institute of Architects (AIA) Jury of Fellows. Sealy joins six other members of the AIA Jury of Fellows and two Honorary Fellows that make up the body responsible for reviewing candidate submissions to receive the AIA honor.

The Jury of Fellows is responsible for selecting candidates that have made significant and notable contributions to the advancement of the profession of architecture. These seven jurors present and review domestic candidates. Two additional jurors join the group to present submittals from foreign countries (generally sponsored by someone in the United States). This expanded group of nine is called the Jury of Honorary Fellows. New jurors rotate in every year. Each juror on the main jury serves a three-year term. The two additional jurors serve two-year terms. The Jury members, consisting of architects who are all Fellows themselves, come from across the nation. They are responsible for reviewing submittals from more than 200 candidates annually.

Candidates can be nominated for one of five different categories (design, practice, service to the profession, service to society and alternative career). Each candidate has to be nominated either by a component (local) chapter, by five Fellows, or by 10 AIA members.

Sealy explains that the key to success is a candidate with a special story, a sponsor who knows him/her well and vouches for the story, and seven references from people who know the candidate and support what the candidate and sponsor have said.

“The best thing a candidate can do is keep it simple,” says Sealy. “The worst thing they can do is to force the juror to search for their story.”

He reinforces that a candidate’s sponsor and references must know the candidate and his/her work and be able to tell the candidate’s story. A disingenuous letter is easily recognized by a juror. Letters should be about what the candidate has done to advance the profession of architecture.

Jurors can’t have any personal contact with the candidates so Sealy emphasizes that candidates should not try to call or email anyone on the Jury. A juror can meet with a group of local candidates but a candidate can not directly contact a juror or they may disqualify themselves.

Each juror is responsible for reviewing 1/7 of all 200+ candidate submittals and reading a summary page on every one. Each juror then presents their candidates to the committee, showing the candidate’s portfolio to the jury and answering questions if required. The work is long. Jury deliberation starts on a weekend with deliberations running for four days.

“Being on the jury is an honor but it’s extremely hard work,” said Sealy. “People don’t realize how much it takes out of a juror’s time to review their candidate’s material and be prepared to go before the rest of the jury.”

The number of candidates the Jury selects varies each year but the recognition they bestow is one that is recognized throughout the industry and a tradition that AIA members have continued for more than a century.

Submittals are due in mid-October. To learn more about the nomination process, visit the AIA website.