The national fraternity of architecture students, Alpha Rho Chi, honored Associate Professor David Rifkind with the organization’s highest award at its centennial convention last week. Professor Rifkind was initiated into FIU’s Alpha Rho Chi chapter, Nicon, last year as one of two faculty brothers, along with Malik Benjamin. The Alpha Rho Chi Gold Medal requires the approval of at least three-quarters of the fraternity’s chapters and alumni associations, which demonstrates the commitment of FIU students in recognizing their faculty. This is the first award of the Gold Medal in the past 15 years. Previous winners include I.M. Pei, R. Buckminster Fuller and Samuel Balen, FAIA.
FIU architecture student Eneida Piñon, the Worthy Architect of Nicon Chapter, was named one of three John R. Ross Scholars at the banquet celebrating Alpha Rho Chi’s centennial. Pinon was cited for her tremendous service to the her fellow students and to the university. Her award includes a scholarship.
The FIU architecture, landscape architecture and interior architecture students who comprise Nicon Chapter were recognized with the annual “So” Whitten Award as the APX chapter with the highest cumulative grade point average. The honor demonstrates our students’ commitment to academic excellence, alongside their collegiality and devotion to fostering an academic community.