The AIA Central PA Architects Foundation Fund chose Christina Accomando to receive its annual scholarship.
A scholarship awarded annually to an area Architecture student has been a fulfilling way in recent years for Frank Dittenhafer of Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects to help advance both the field and local communities.
Each year it brings smiles, excitement and great pride for the recipient, Dittenhafer says.
“This is a way for us to reward a young, talented person we feel can make a strong contribution,” he says. “The recognition means a lot to them, too, and they’re very grateful.”
About the award
The Central Pennsylvania Architects Foundation Fund Architecture Scholarship has been given for the past seven years to one student from a 13-county area whose career objectives and design ideas point to future success in Architecture.
The $1,000 award is presented each fall to the winner, who’s selected by the current and past presidents of the American Institute of Architects’ Central Pennsylvania chapter.
This year’s winner, Christina Accomando, met those AIA Presidents and other Central PA professionals and picked up her prize at the AIA’s annual Design Awards event in York at The Bond on Oct. 5.
Promoting architecture
Dittenhafer says the idea for the award arose more than 15 years ago, with his Central PA AIA chapter looking to do something to help promote the study of Architecture – and lend a hand to local students who showed dedication and aptitude. Anyone with a mailing address within the chapter’s 13 counties studying Architecture at any level would be eligible, no matter where they went to school.
Students are asked to write a one-page letter in which they explain their interest in the field and their career goals. Also, they’re able to submit up to four pages of their design work and/or community involvement for careful evaluation.
“It gives us a really good feel for what they’re passionate about and where they are in their careers,” Dittenhafer says. “The level of work we’ve seen from the applicants is just terrific.”
About this year’s recipient
Christina Accomando, an Architecture Technology major at Harrisburg Area Community College, is a mother of two who decided to go back to school after working as a self-employed artist, an admission professional for Franklin and Marshall College, and a Study Abroad Program Coordinator at Millersville University.
But something was missing for Christina. Fascinated by drafting as a language and as a work of art, she decided she wanted to obtain the tools and skills to pursue it within a career. Her research led her to HACC.
Like us on Facebook!
“I see structures in a whole new way,” she wrote in her application. “I finally see the third dimension and how a sequence of spaces and well-chosen materials can invite you to feel - how a structure can make your senses come to life. I learned how the emotion in music can guide design, how site forces and building materials can connect seamlessly to work within nature.”
This grant is just the beginning for Christina.
“I can see out into my future 25 years from now and I know I’ll be a hardworking, successful, expert, in the Architecture field,” she wrote. “I hope to teach my children that there are opportunities for second chances and to pursue your passions at any stage in life.”
The memorial’s groundbreaking took place in June, and the dedication is set to take place on November 11, 2024, or Veterans Day.
President of Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects, Frank Dittenhafer II, spoke about the company’s contribution to York-area revitalization at the Pennsylvania Downtown Center’s Premier Revitalization Conference in June 2024. Here are the highlights.
Well-considered design is at the core of Architecture, McCormick says.
The Pullo Center welcomed a range of student musicians in its 1,016-seat theater with full production capabilities.
Seitzland Village represents historic pride and a dedication to community.
“Interior designs being integral from the beginning of a project capitalize on things that make it special in the long run.”
M&D will take part in the 2024 Crispus Attucks Career Focus Institute.
Digital animations help Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects and clients see designs in a new light.
Frank Dittenhafer and his firm work alongside the nonprofit to fulfill the local landscape from various perspectives.
From Farquhar Park to south of the Codorus Creek, Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects help revamp York’s Penn Street.
Designs for LaVale Library, Intergenerational Center, and Beth Tfiloh Sanctuary show the value of third places.
The annual event shows the M&D team the true impact of their work in the real world.
The Annapolis Department of Legislative Services Building is under construction, reflecting the state capital’s Georgian aesthetic with modern amenities.
For the past two years, the co-founder and president of Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects has led the university’s College of Arts and Architecture Alumni Society.
The firm recently worked with St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore to renovate an old elementary school for a Head Start pre-k program.
The market house, an 1888 Romanesque Revival brick structure designed by local Architect John A. Dempwolf, long has stood out as one of York’s premier examples of Architecture. Architect Frank Dittenhafer is passing the legacy of serving on its board to Architectural Designer Harper Brockway.
At Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects, there is a deep-rooted belief in the power of combining history and adaptive reuse with creativity.
University of Maryland Global Campus explores modernizing its administration building, which serves staffers and students enrolled in virtual classes.
The Wilkens and Essex precincts of Baltimore County are receiving solutions-based ideas for renovating or reconstructing their police stations.
The firm has earned the designation annually since 2016 in recognition of its commitment to supporting newer professionals in the field.
Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects recently completed the Design Development phase for a 20,000-square-foot building for Crispus Attucks York. Construction should begin in August.
The facility in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, is re-envisioning its focus with the help of Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects.
Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects received numerous awards from AIA Pennsylvania, AIA Central Pennsylvania, AIA Baltimore, and ABC Keystone.
Since 2019, the firm has designed a number of protected entryways for Anne Arundel County Public Schools.
A business lunch at an iconic building sparked an awakening whose effects continue to ripple down the city thoroughfare.
Since its founding in 1985, Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects often has sought out community-oriented projects that have a lasting impact.
The university’s Arts and Architecture Alumni Society Board President — and a past award recipient himself — handed out this year’s awards to seven recipients.
After an extensive evaluation of a Maryland state building in Annapolis, the architectural firm recommended demolishing it and erecting a new structure.
Six members of M&D’s team of creative professionals are advancing their careers within the firm.
Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects took on the Architecture, Interior Design, & Overall Project Management for the new Bedford Elementary School, and the outcome is impactful.