April 2, 2009

Dennis Jankiewicz, B.Arch '73, has been awarded the School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation's 2009 Distinguished Alumni Award. Jankiewicz is a founding principal of the Design Collective, a firm that has received more than 250 awards. In 2001, Mr. Jankiewicz and the Design Collective, Inc. endowed the School with a $100,000 gift for scholarships and studio support.

Mr. Jankiewicz's commitment to the School and to its graduates is unique and exemplary, making him deserving of this honor and its recognition at the Tenth Annual Alumni Association Awards Gala in April, 2009.

Mr. Jankiewicz was one of the founding principals of the Columbia Design Collective in 1978. In 1993, the firm moved to Baltimore, dropping its original location from the name, and continuing its growth and involvement in more and more complex projects. The firm now employs 105 people and has projects throughout the United States and abroad. The firm's work has received more than 250 awards at the local, national and international levels in recognition of its commitment to design excellence.

The firm has also participated in the design of more than 14 projects on the College Park campus including the South Campus Commons and the Comcast Arena.

For a professional school, nothing validates its quality more convincingly than the success of its graduates. Not only has the Design Collective brought such notice to the School, but Mr. Janliewicz has continually confirmed the value of the School's graduates by involving them deeply, at all levels in the firm. Many of the senior managers in the firm started at their graduation and have risen to positions of responsibility. As one of the firm's Maryland graduate staff architects points out, "The academic emphasis on both sound design and technical ability has blended well with the corporate values established by Design Collective, Inc."

In 2001, Mr. Jankiewicz and the Design Collective, Inc. endowed the School with a $100,000 gift for scholarships and studio support. This gift was a substantial pace setter as the early graduates of our young school have risen to positions of importance in the profession - it set a strong example for others while providing a significant resource for our students.

Mr. Jankiewicz encourages his architects to participate in the life of the School by reviewing student work, making it possible for them to teach and by offering visits to his firm as illustrations of progressive, innovative practice. Such exposure is an invaluable contribution to our curriculum, committed as we are to enhancing the early professional experience of the State's architects-to-be and improving the level of practice in the State.

The School is proud to acknowledge Mr. Jankiewicz's commitments and contributions to the School by awarding him the 2009 Distinguished Alumni Award.

The School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation at the University of Maryland is home to four academic disciplines: architecture, urban planning, historic preservation and real estate development. Committed to educating its students and community about the importance of sustainability and smart growth, the School practices an interdisciplinary approach to education, research, creative work, and community and professional service. For more information, please e-mail us or call 301.405.8000.

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