I’m glad you are considering the School of Architecture at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to begin or continue your architectural education. As we enter the 21st century, architects are faced with growing responsibilities and enormous opportunities. Architects practicing today must consider not only issues of technology and aesthetics but also issues of social justice, environmental stewardship, cultural diversity, and civic engagement; such issues are increasingly critical to the architect’s role in envisioning and constructing the places where we live, work, and play. At Illinois, we have been providing architects with the critical thinking skills necessary to face such demands for more than 130 years.

Today, our School boasts an internationally recognized faculty of researchers, scholars, and practitioners; outstanding facilities and resources for learning and research; and unparalleled curricular opportunities for students to specialize or pursue cross-disciplinary studies. Our M. Arch program is uniquely flexible, encouraging students and faculty to explore the challenges facing the profession today and discover the challenges of tomorrow. All of our efforts are rooted in a strong tradition of excellence and innovation that comes with being the second-oldest architecture program in the United States.

We benefit greatly from being an integral part of one of the nation’s leading public universities. We are located in a vibrant forward-looking community, situated in the heart of the Midwest, within hours of Chicago, St. Louis, and Indianapolis. Our programs reach across Illinois, from East St. Louis to Chicago’s gallery district, and span the globe, from Shanghai, China to Versailles, France. Our more than 10,000 living alumni have become leaders in architecture and related fields and can be found practicing in every state and many foreign countries.

Words and images alone are usually insufficient to communicate the essence and energy of a place; technological advances may augment but will never replace the physical experience. If you are considering architecture at Illinois, I encourage you to visit our campus, attend a class, and speak with our students and professors; I want you to feel the excitement and see the opportunities first-hand.

I wish you the very best in your educational and professional journey. Since you are considering architecture at Illinois, I can tell you are off to a great start.

Sincerely,

David M. Chasco, AIA
Director and Professor