AIA Chicago Foundation to Honor Sara Fetterolf, AIA, with 2025 Dubin Family Young Architect Award

Sara will be celebrated at the AIA Chicago’s Designight 2025 event held on Thursday, September 18, 2025, at The Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park

For media inquiries: David Chase, dchase@aiachicago.org, (312) 376-2745
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AUGUST 20, 2025: CHICAGO: The AIA Chicago Foundation, the charitable, independent not-for-profit organization that supports scholarships, grants, and awards to strengthen Chicago’s architectural community, has announced that Sara Fetterolf, AIA, an Architectural Designer and Project Architect at EXP, has been named the recipient of the 2025 AIA Chicago Foundation Dubin Family Young Architect Award. Sara will be celebrated at the AIA Chicago’s Designight 2025 event held on Thursday, September 18, 2025, at The Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park, Chicago.

“Her commitment to our profession through design excellence, inclusion and mentorship is exemplary. In her still young career, she has made significant contributions towards creating a more inclusive profession and has uplifted many aspiring architects,” said Thomas Hoepf, FAIA, Senior Vice President / Design Director at EXP. “Sara is impacting our profession beyond her individual architectural achievements; she is a catalyst for positive change and a role model for architects from all backgrounds.”

Sara Fetterolf, AIA, has devoted her career to relentlessly pursuing stronger communities, approaching her work as both a designer and a community builder, driven by an unwavering commitment to equity, inclusion, and social justice. Architecture, for her, is a tool for connection, striving to strengthen the space between people through design, mentorship, and advocacy.

A graduate of Miami University with a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture (2010) and the Rhode Island School of Design with a Master’s in Architecture (2014), Sara has established herself as a voice for change, a champion for equity and diversity, and a proactive seeker of social justice.

Her impact extends through:

Advocacy and Community Building: Sara co-founded the AIA Chicago LGBTQIA+ Alliance alongside Fred Grier, AIA, creating a vital space for advocacy, visibility, and belonging. This initiative began as a local effort and has since grown into a national movement, inspiring the formation of similar groups across multiple states and chapters including AIA Columbus, AIA New York, AIA Austin, AIA Houston, AIA Dallas, and AIA Northern Virginia. The Alliance focuses on increasing representation, encouraging engagement, and providing support for LGBTQIA+ professionals in architecture and construction fields.

Mentorship: A cornerstone of her journey, Sara has embraced mentorship as both a student and guide through programs such as AIA’s Bridge and Wing Mentorship programs, EXP’s State of Kuwait Fund, and the Lindblom Exchange Program. Her leadership style is rooted in empathy, curiosity, and shared growth, reinforcing the belief that the profession strengthens when people invest in one another.

Transformative Public Transit Architecture: Sara has utilized public transit work as a powerful platform for equity-focused architecture, viewing transit as a connector of lives, stories, and opportunity.

• She served as Project Architect for the CTA Garfield Gateway Renovation project, a transformative initiative that reimagined a critical transit hub in Chicago’s South Side. This project brought the vibrant visions of world-renowned Chicago-based artists Nick Cave and Bob Faust to life, creating a landmark and a beacon of culture, identity, and pride. The project has received numerous accolades, including the 2023 Architizer A+ Design Award Special Mention and the 2021 AIA Illinois Project with Greatest Impact over $5M.
• As an Architectural Designer, she contributed to the CTA 95th Street Terminal Expansion, providing an iconic gateway design for Chicago’s southern entrance, unifying structures with a continuous “red ribbon” and pedestrian bridge. This project earned awards such as the 2024 American Architecture Award and the 2019 AIA Chicago Distinguished Building Award.
• Her work on the CTA Quincy Elevated Station Renovation involved weaving accessibility and ridership upgrades with the existing historic architecture, combining modern forms with historically informed details. This project was recognized with the 2022 AIA Illinois Excellence in Historic Preservation Award.

The Young Architect Award was originally established in 1983 to recognize excellence in ability and exceptional contributions by young Chicago area architects. In 2003, the award was renamed the Dubin Family Young Architect Award thanks to the generosity of the family of the late M. David Dubin, FAIA, the 1971 AIA Chicago President. The Dubin family continues to fund a cash prize for the recipient, and the award is administered by the AIA Chicago Foundation. Previous recipients include Emily Ray, AIA (2024) and Breah Page, AIA (2023).

The AIA Chicago Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization committed to investing in Chicago’s next generation of architectural change-makers by awarding scholarships, grants, and recognition. The AIA Chicago Foundation is affiliated with AIA Chicago, the collective voice of nearly 4,000 licensed architects, emerging professionals, architecture students, and allied professionals in the Chicagoland area.