Part 1, Fellowship: The Shrinking Pinnacle?

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In 2023, I began a series of posts titled, "I turned to A.I. to understand the 2023 AIA Jury of Fellows results…" at a time when the number of candidates elevated to Fellowship had begun a steady decline. My goal then was to use data to speculate on what might be up with the profession's highest honor. Now, with the AIA Class of 2026 College of Fellows results in hand, the trend is more structural contraction than an anomaly. Data reveals a 36% drop in applicants since 2018. 

As we get closer to the “Fellows season,” this three-part series explores why this decline might be happening and why a shrinking College of Fellows is a red flag for the future of architecture.

• Part 1: The Denominator Problem (The "Lost Generation" and the 2026 data)

• Part 2: High Bars and Crit Culture (Juror expectations and the enduring culture of the "Crit")

• Part 3: The Path Forward (Reframing the "Ripple" and advice for the "Not Yet")

About This Series

My analysis is part of an ongoing effort to bring transparency and data-driven insight to the AIA Fellowship process. My goal has always been to help qualified AIA architects define the impact their work has on others, no matter what their focus is in the profession.

Want to dive deeper? For more strategies on framing your professional impact and navigating the path to Fellowship, check out Architect + Action = Result, which includes a detailed breakdown of how to debunk the "national impact" fallacy and build a case that resonates with any jury.