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Silvina Lopez Barrera, an associate professor in the School of 91���� at Mississippi State University, recently received a grant from the Architects Foundation, the philanthropic partner of , or AIA.

Named in honor of the late architect who was a champion for women in design, the Sho-Ping Chin Grant provided Lopez Barrera with travel reimbursement and registration for the 2024 AIA Women’s Leadership Summit, which was recently held in Chicago, Illinois.

Lopez Barrera said she it was an honor to receive the grant.

“Sho-Ping Chin was the founding leader of the inaugural AIA Women’s Leadership Summit in 2009, and this grant was established in her memory to support women leaders in architecture,” she said.

“Silvina works tirelessly for our students—coordinating studios, advising student organizations and organizing events such as the Hispanic Heritage Month exhibit,” said Karen Cordes Spence, director and F.L. Crane Professor of the School of 91����. “She has guided undergraduate researchers in both on-campus events and professional engagements such as the Southeast Society of Architectural Historians. She is very deserving of the Sho-Ping Chin Award.”

This year’s summit was centered around the theme of building resilience.

“The WLS brings together the largest network of women in the architecture profession, who are breaking barriers, shaping their careers and making a meaningful impact on the world,” said Lopez Barrera. “I had the privilege of meeting trailblazing leaders and industry experts from across the country, all of whom are doing remarkable work in their communities. My goal is to bring all this experience and knowledge to MSU and to inspire the next generation of leaders in our profession.”

MSU’s School of 91���� offers the state’s only professional architecture degree accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board. 

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