Kansas City, MO (June 8, 2006) – A leading local architecture and planning firm, Gould Evans, has earned the 2006 Intern Development Program (IDP) Outstanding Firm Award from the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The jury selected the firm’s intern group and the architectural profession program as an exemplar. Gould Evans is one of two firms sharing this honor and will be presented with the award on Friday, June 9, at the AIA Convention in
The Gould Evans IDP program, known as IG:AP (and pronounced I-Gap), is part of the firm’s strategy to support the professional development of intern associates and to prepare young professionals for licensure. “Providing experience in all areas of practice, supporting strong mentoring relationships and identifying personal interest areas (PIA's) are keys to the success of our program,” says principal Becky Mullins, AIA. “I’m particularly pleased with the positive impact IG:AP has had on the culture of the firm. By advocating for our interns as they pursue their professional goals and individual interests, we’ve released their creative energies. Their professionalism, commitment to our firm and community involvement has inspired all of us.”
Katie Trenkle, Assoc. AIA, is an intern at Gould Evans. She says that IG:AP has led to her own professional growth and that her relationship with her mentors has inspired confidence and “allowed me to pursue my passion for responsible design.”
Licensure is a priority at Gould Evans. As a result of this program, its interns are able to meet the experience requirements of NCARB within three years, qualifying them to take the licensure exam. The program is guided by the specific needs of the interns. They are surveyed regularly and the content of the program is adjusted as the needs of the group change over time. Each intern selects two mentors—a senior architect involved in managing projects and a project architect with a design focus.
“I’m proud of what IG:AP has accomplished,” says principal Bob Gould, FAIA. “I see its success in expressing the Gould Evans firm values of enduring development, collaboration, and social embeddedness. IG:AP is a positive force within the firm.” The program has had unintended benefits as well. Recruiting studies have shown that IG:AP is a factor in influencing the employment decisions of recent graduates as well as newly hired associates.
Founded in 1974, Gould Evans is a multidisciplinary design firm of 225 associates in eight offices:For mo
