NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: April 17, 2013
CONTACT: Karin Slyker, karin.slyker@ttu.edu
(806) 742-2136
Texas Tech Alumnus Elevated to Fellow of the American Institute of Architects
Morris Brown is an instructor in the Texas Tech College of Architecture at El Paso.
Among the 80,000 professionals who make up the American Institute of Architects (AIA), only about 3,000 are elevated to the College of Fellows. Now, a pair of identical twin brothers is among them.
Morris Brown, an instructor in the Texas Tech University College of Architecture at El Paso, joins his brother Terrance, now retired, in this honor.
“My brother and I earned our bachelors of architecture from Texas Tech in 1969,” Brown said. “But we’ve been apart ever since.”
On a commission from the ROTC, both men were destined for military service after graduation. His twin went to Vietnam, while Brown, who was married with a child, was scheduled to follow. Plans changed after he learned he was medically disqualified.
“I suffered from high-frequency hearing loss,” Brown said. “So I took my portfolio to the art department, where I entered their graduate program at Texas Tech.”
Brown earned his Master’s of Fine Art in sculpture and taught interior design, before moving to El Paso in 1978, where he was instrumental in starting with James Langford the community college associates degree program for architecture.
In addition to his current position as professor in the TTU architecture program, Brown was honored among distinguished alumni in 2008 and is an active member of El Paso Chapter of AIA. He also is the educator member director for the Texas Society of Architects, and designed and illustrated “Portals at the Pass: El Paso Area Architecture to 1930.”
AIA members who have made significant contributions to architecture and society, and who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession on a national level may be elected to the College of Fellows by a jury of their peers. Brown was honored for his contributions to education and his commitment to historic preservation.
“Leading up to the announcement, I was awarded Scout Master of the Year by the Boy Scouts of America and earned the Silver Beaver Award,” Brown said. “Three days later, I was notified about the fellowship. I’m walking on air.”
Brown is the first faculty member in the history of the College of Architecture to be elevated to fellow. He will be recognized June 21 at an investiture ceremony at AIA’s National Convention and Design Expo in Denver.
The College of Architecture will honor Brown in Lubbock at the 15th Annual Convocation Ceremony and Distinguished Alumni Roundtable on April 19 and 20, respectively.
Find Texas Tech news, experts and story ideas at www.media.ttu.edu and on Twitter @TexasTechMedia.
CONTACT: Morris Brown, instructor, College of Architecture at El Paso, Texas Tech University, (915) 594-2030 or morris.brown@ttu.edu.
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