2027 Roula Alakiotou Scholarship

About

Established in 2019 through the generous $100,000 endowment by Roula Alakiotou—pronounced “Roola Alah-kyo-too”—an original member of Chicago Women in Architecture (CWA), and recipient of the Chicago Women in Architecture Foundation (CWAF) Lifetime Achievement Award, this annual scholarship began in 2021 and recognizes strong women architecture students in their final year of study for academic and leadership achievements. “With this scholarship,” Roula stated, “I intend to support the continued growth of diversity of the future for women architects,” embodying her long-standing involvement and belief in the CWA community.

The open application will be released in the fall and or eligible students are invited to apply. Applications will be reviewed by a jury including CWA Executive Committee members, officers from the CWAF Board of Directors, and other recognized architecture practitioners. In 2021, the opening year for this scholarship, we awarded two winners. This year, as in 2026/2027 one winner will be celebrated at the CWA Spring Brunch. Roula Scholarship recipients will receive the unrestricted $5,000 award, a one-year membership to CWA, two tickets to attend the CWA Spring Brunch event, and their credentials will be featured on the CWA website.

About Roula Alakiotou

Roula Alakiotou, FAIA, established her Chicago-based eponymous firm, Roula Associates Architects, Chtd., in 1980 after completing her master’s with honors at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1978). Her study of architecture began in Roula’s native Greece, at the Athens Technological Institute, and continued at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she received her bachelor’s with honors (1975). Throughout her career, Roula has established herself as a leader in women-owned architectural firms and developed her practice specializing in large-scale public sector projects—spanning from Greece to the American Midwest. Additionally, Roula has taught at University of Illinois at Chicago; mentors international architecture students from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago; serves as a juror for many student panels and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Gold Metal and Firm Award juries.

Roula was elevated by her peers as a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA) in 1997. In 2018, she was named the CWAF Lifetime Achievement Awardee and was recently recognized as one of Crain’s 2020 Notable Women in Construction and Design. She is a member of the Chicago Architectural Club, the Chicago Network, Chicago Women in Architecture (CWA), and The Executives’ Club of Chicago. Previously, Roula served on the board of directors of the International Women’s Forum (IWF). She is currently on the board of the Chicago Women in Architecture Foundation.

Learn more here: http://www.roularchitects.com/.

Eligibility

Please read and review the Submission Guidelines for all requirements for this scholarship!

Applicants must be female architecture students scheduled to graduate during the 2026–27 academic year (December 2026, January 2027, May/June 2027, or August 2027) with a Master of Architecture (M.Arch.) or five-year Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) degree from a NAAB-accredited program at one of the following institutions:

Eligible Institutions

  • Illinois Institute of Technology

  • Judson University

  • School of the Art Institute of Chicago

  • Southern Illinois University Carbondale

  • University of Illinois Chicago

  • University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

  • University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee

  • Ball State University

  • University of Notre Dame

  • Indiana University

There is no limit to the number of applicants per school.

Application Requirements

Applicants must submit the following materials:

  • Digital Portfolio: One PDF, no larger than 10 MB, showcasing completed work. The portfolio must be anonymized, with the applicant’s ID number in the lower-right corner of each page. If collaborative work is included, a Group Work Memorandum is required from each teammate.

  • Key Image: One image that captures the essence of the portfolio, submitted separately from the portfolio and no larger than 10 MB.

  • Resume: One page maximum, including education, GPA, anticipated graduation date, extracurricular activities, honors and awards, and work experience (if applicable). Use the applicant’s ID number in place of their name.

  • Student Transcripts: Transcripts are required for all completed degrees. Applicants may submit official transcripts or unofficial transcripts accompanied by a letter of attestation from the Dean or Chair of their Department or School of Architecture.

  • Two Personal Letters of Recommendation: One page maximum each, addressing the applicant’s character, leadership, and community involvement. Academic recommendations should also address scholastic performance and leadership and specify the applicant’s program and expected graduation date. Family members may not serve as recommenders.

Please note: The Dean’s letter of recommendation is no longer required. However, an attestation from the Dean or Chair is required if unofficial transcripts are submitted.

Submission Process

  1. Complete the Registration Form on the CWA website to receive your applicant ID number.

  2. Within three business days, you will receive an email with a link to upload your application materials. Contact the Scholarship Committee if you do not receive the link.

  3. Upload your portfolio, key image, resume, and any required transcript or group work memorandum PDFs using the provided link.

Transcripts and recommendation letters must be emailed directly to scholarship@cwarch.org by the school or recommender, as applicable. Include the applicant’s ID number in the email subject line. All digital recommendation letters must be submitted as PDFs directly from the recommender’s institution or company.

Please review the 2026–27 Submission Guidelines for detailed file-naming and submission instructions. Visit the Scholarship FAQ for answers to frequently asked questions.

Find the Group Work Memorandum and Attestation Template on the CWA website.

Schedule

  • October 27, 2026: Registration opens

  • February 1, 2027: Application deadline

  • April 2027: Winner announced at the CWA Spring Brunch (date TBD)

The recipient will receive a $5,000 unrestricted award, a one-year CWA membership, and two tickets to the CWA Spring Brunch. The winner’s credentials will also be featured on the CWA website.

Winners are expected to keep the Spring Brunch date open to accept the award.

Scholarship Q&A Presentation

View the Scholarship Q&A Presentation

For questions, contact scholarship@cwarch.org. For updates, visit cwarch.org or follow CWA on Instagram (@chiwomenarchitecture) and LinkedIn.