Associate dean of K-State's College of Architecture, Planning and Design honored for service to Kansas architecture organization

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Source: Wendy Ornelas, 785-532-5950, wornelas@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Diane Potts, 785-532-1090, potts@k-state.edu

Friday, December 1, 2006

ASSOCIATE DEAN OF K-STATE'S COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE, PLANNING AND DESIGN HONORED FOR SERVICE TO KANSAS ARCHITECTURE ORGANIZATION

MANHATTAN -- Wendy Ornelas, associate dean of Kansas State University's College of Architecture, Planning and Design, has been honored for her service to a professional group for Kansas architects.

Ornelas received the Henry W. Schirmer Distinguished Service Award from the American Institute of Architects Kansas at its fall 2006 meeting.

The award is given annually to recognize an individual member of the American Institute of Architects Kansas who has performed distinguished leadership and service to the state or national organization over an extended period of time. The organization recognizes services exceeding those expected in any official capacity and those members whose leadership has advanced the cause of the profession and provided an inspiration to his or her fellow practitioners. The award is named for longtime member Schirmer, who throughout his long career practicing architecture in Topeka and Wichita, held every office and board position possible in the American Institute of Architects Kansas and developed the Kansas Architectural Foundation. He also held numerous offices at the national and regional levels and published the first national firm directory for the organization.

According to the organization, Ornelas has been a staunch supporter of the American Institute of Architects, an active member for more than 20 years and is the first woman to receive the award. The American Institute of Architects Kansas commended Ornelas for excelling in many areas of the profession and for providing leadership to not only the institute, but to many collateral organizations. Ornelas also was commended as a practitioner and academician, winner of awards -- both for design and teaching -- a mentor, a past American Institute of Architects Kansas president and board member, a Fellow, a Latina and "a good friend to the profession."

Ornelas was named associate dean of the college in 2005. She is an associate professor of architecture, a member of the graduate teaching faculty, director of the college's doctoral program in environmental design and planning, and she also is director of the architecture department's internship program. She is a partner in the firm Condia and Ornelas, which received design awards for Coco Bolo's Woodfired Grille and Cantina, Manhattan, and Thomas Joseph Studio One, San Diego. Ornelas also has received awards in unbuilt architecture as a team member of "Stormwatch One," "Fault Finder No. 52: A Monument in a Plaza" and "Memorial to Six Million Heroes."

Ornelas has numerous accomplishments of leadership and participation with the American Collegiate Schools of Architecture, the National Architectural Accrediting Board and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. She has been a team member of accreditation review teams, regional director of the West Central Region of the American Collegiate Schools of Architecture, as well as chair of numerous committees. Ornelas also led the research necessary for the faculty in the K-State College of Architecture, Planning and Design to assess the efficacy of changing the college's degree structure to an all-graduate degree program.