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Navigating Your Career During Unprecedented Times

Over the past few years, the COVID-19 pandemic and shifting geopolitics have reshaped our world, creating unprecedented challenges, especially for immigrant professionals in the United States. In addition to domestic challenges, changing immigration policies and international travel restrictions, global events can quickly affect career opportunities for those of us trying to establish a career abroad. I am an immigrant architect from Yangon, Myanmar, and I started my journey

Dimple Zeng

4 days ago4 min read

Leading with Purpose: Advocacy, Leadership, and Connection at the AIA Leadership Summit

From February 10-14, more than 700 members of the American Institute of Architects gathered in Washington, DC, for the annual AIA Leadership Summit, an energizing convening of component leaders committed to advancing the profession through advocacy, governance, and shared learning. Danielle McCormick, Assoc. AIA (AIA Washington, DC Chapter) and Graciela Carrillo, FAIA (AIA Long Island Chapter), actively engaged in the summit’s programming, which served as a powerful reminder

Danielle McCormick & Graciela Carrillo

Mar 203 min read

Designing Access by Building a Scholarship Ecosystem

For many immigrant architecture students, entry into the profession is shaped as much by immigration policy as by architectural talent. The cost of education is rarely just tuition. It is tuition layered with visa restrictions that limit work hours, volatile currency exchange rates, and the need to rebuild professional networks from scratch. It is navigating OPT timelines, work authorization renewals, and the uncertainty of sponsorship while trying to focus on studio and exam

Saakshi Terway

Mar 123 min read

The Heavy Head That Wears the Crown: Navigating leadership, motherhood, and burnout while designing hope for others

Photo Credit: Jeffery Sauers and Wiencek+ Associates Architects+ Planners Pandemic Beginnings: Isolation and Leadership My son was born during the height of the pandemic in May 2020, when hospitals were tense, cities had shut down, and fear filled the air. We brought him home to a world of isolation: no visitors, no celebrations, just silence. At the same time, I was adjusting to remote work and first-time motherhood. With no boundaries between home and office, no breaks, and

Krutika Shah

Feb 263 min read

Building a Brand by Building Something: How My Pandemic Tea Brand Shaped My Personal and Professional Identity

As someone who currently works in a corporate environment where branding is supported by large budgets, agencies, and dedicated teams, I understand how distant that model can feel from individual practitioners. But in reality, the most powerful brands are often built by individuals through intention, consistency, storytelling, and service. My journey into branding didn’t begin in a corporate boardroom. It started with tea. I chose tea as my medium because it was personal. Dur

Oyuki Thomas

Feb 204 min read

Starting Your Own Firm – Part 2

( Link to Part 1) Having my own firm has been a dream of mine since childhood. Executing that dream, however, is a much more challenging undertaking. In my previous blog, I shared some general tips on how to start your own firm. In this post, I would like to spend some time discussing the technical aspects and paperwork involved in setting up a business. Since I reside in California, the procedures and steps discussed in this article are based on my experience establishing a

Yu-Ngok Lo

Jan 294 min read

Making “Otherness” Your Superpower

As immigrants, we are often reminded of the challenges that shape our professional journeys. These include immigration policies that limit opportunities, language and idioms that obscure meaning, and cultural norms that make us hesitate to advocate for ourselves. Today, however, I want to focus on something different: the strengths that immigrant professionals bring, the traits that make us exceptional problem-solvers and integrators of ideas. These traits are particularly be

ShivaMendez

Jan 223 min read

From Immigrant Paths to Leadership: What WLS 2025 Taught Us

When we signed up for the 2025 AIA Women’s Leadership Summit (WLS) in Atlanta, we thought we were attending a major industry event. What we didn’t anticipate was stepping into one of the most powerful rooms of our careers — a space filled with women who looked like us, sounded like us, and had walked paths similar to ours, redefining what leadership in architecture truly means. As immigrant architects navigating careers in the U.S. on O-1 visas, our journeys have been anythin

Carolina Galvez & Dorota Gocal

Jan 24 min read

Reflecting on My Journey to the College of Fellows

Submitting my application to the AIA College of Fellows was one of the most profound moments of reflection in my leadership journey. When I first joined AIA more than a decade ago, I never imagined that one day I would be applying for Fellowship under Object 3: Lead the Institute. This required documenting not only the roles I had held, but also the impact, advocacy, and ripple effects that grew from them. As an immigrant architect, someone who built her career from the grou

Graciela Carrillo

Dec 4, 20253 min read

Future Unfolding: Reflections from the 2025 NOMA National Conference

Attending the 2025 NOMA National Conference in Kansas City was an energizing, grounding, and deeply meaningful experience. The theme “Future Unfolding” captured exactly what the week felt like. It was a moment where our collective stories, ideas, and identities were opening outward toward possibility. The conference brought together architects, designers, students, and community leaders committed to shaping a more equitable future in the built environment. As an immigrant ar

Taruna Gupta

Nov 25, 20254 min read

How to Get Ready for a Job Interview as an Immigrant Architect in the U.S.

Finding a job as an architect is challenging enough, but doing it as an immigrant adds layers of complexity. Between language barriers, portfolio translation, and cultural nuances in communication, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. Yet, preparation truly is the key to confidence. With the right mindset and strategy, you can not only land the interview but also own the conversation once you are in it. Below are practical tips, lessons learned, and strategies tailored specificall

Gloria Kloter

Nov 20, 20255 min read

Expanding Career Horizons for Emerging Architects through Small A, Big E Firms

When most architecture graduates step into the professional world, the destination seems clear: join a design studio or a large architecture firm and create beautiful buildings. It’s a rewarding path—but it’s not the only one. There’s an entire world of opportunity that often goes unnoticed: roles within engineering firms and small architectural practices that contribute to large-scale infrastructure projects. This blog introduces the concept of “Small A, Big E”—a framework t

Krutika Shah

Nov 12, 20253 min read

From Vision to Leadership: Empowering Women and Immigrants at AIA Aspire

The 2025 AIA Aspire Conference, held in Asheville, North Carolina, brought together architects, designers, and industry leaders for meaningful conversations around diversity, leadership, and the future of our profession. For a few inspiring days, the mountain city became a vibrant hub of design, advocacy, and community engagement. The Immigrant Architects Coalition (IAC) was honored to be part of this transformative event. The conference’s theme, “design outside the lines,”

Gozde Yildirim

Oct 13, 20253 min read

Navigating Change Together: Insights from the 2025 NCARB Licensing Advisor Summit

This past July, licensing advisors from across the country gathered in Minneapolis, MN, for the 2025 NCARB Licensing Advisor Summit...

Gloria Kloter

Sep 28, 20253 min read

AIAS GrassROOTS 2025: A Celebration of Leadership and Community

This summer, I had the privilege of attending AIAS GRASSROOTS 2025, the organization’s annual leadership conference, held in Washington,...

Oyuki Thomas

Sep 14, 20253 min read

Beyond H-1B: Immigration Options for Architects & Engineers

Thousands of international students and professionals wait nervously for the H-1B lottery results. Some are lucky. Many are not. But here’s the truth: your U.S. journey doesn’t have to end with a lottery result. For architects and engineers, there are multiple pathways to continue building your career, some temporary, some permanent, and some even more substantial than H-1B itself. EB-2 NIW – The Self-Made Green Card If your work has evident national importance, whether in

Abhi Nair

Aug 21, 20252 min read

Starting Your Own Firm

At some point in their careers, many architects contemplate the idea of starting their own firm. Yet, only a few of us actually take the...

Yu-Ngok Lo

Jul 14, 20253 min read

Navigating Visa Options as an Architect: A Recap of the IAC Panel

On 1st April 2025, I had the honor of joining a panel hosted by the Immigrant Architects Coalition (IAC) titled “Visa Options for...

Dorota Gocal

May 26, 20253 min read

The information, views, and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and are based on the author’s personal experience. They are provided for general informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice, nor should they be construed as such. The content is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. Readers should consult with a qualified, licensed attorney or appropriate professional regarding their individual legal concerns.

The views and opinions expressed herein do not reflect the official policy, position, or endorsement of the Immigrant Architects Coalition, its board of directors, officers, members, or affiliates.