Four recipients in licensing process of AREs each offer unique visions for the field and their practice.
(Wednesday, August 19, 2026. Sacramento, CA.) The California Architectural Foundation (CAF) and American Institute of Architects California are honored to announce the recipients of 2026 Paul W. Welch, Jr. ARE Scholarship.
This special scholarship program celebrates Paul W. Welch, Jr.’s unwavering belief in the power of the architectural license. Recipients are reimbursed for the cost of passing each division of the Architect Registration Examination and the California Supplement Exam.
This year three AIA Associate members, four young designers are being recognized: Ishita Bansal, Assoc. AIA, Evdoxia Besmerti, Assoc. AIA, Emily Dinnerman, Assoc. AIA, and Sunny Shah. All bring different attainments and perspectives, formed in different countries, from India to Greece and from backgrounds, but each has demonstrated an early and elevated commitment to the profession.
“I am delighted to support the licensure goals of Ishita, Evdoxia, Emily, and Sunny,” said Paul W. Welch, Jr., who funds the scholarship and served as AIA California’s Executive Vice President for over four decades. “From early interest in supporting others through leadership to demonstrated commitment to practice, each delivers an early commitment to delivering architecture with meaning.”
Jury Comments: As an emerging professional with about three years of professional experience, Ishita Bansal’s motivation for becoming an architect is through lived experiences and a careful emphasis on the meaning of home. Serving as president of a student organization, NOMAS at USC, shows a real commitment to community, and, along with her teaching, shows real leadership.
Bio Excerpt: Growing up in India, I was surrounded by environments deeply rooted in culture and daily life, from intricately detailed temples to dense, multigenerational housing. These spaces were not conceived as isolated objects; they were extensions of community, climate, and tradition. I became particularly aware of how thresholds, courtyards, and in-between spaces mediated interaction, allowing for both gathering and retreat. This early awareness became a foundational moment in shaping my belief that architecture is not just about form, but about relationships between people, place, and time.
Jury Comments: A young professional with great promise, Evdoxia Besmerti holds a personal commitment to affordable housing and material sustainability, showing a clear sense of purpose to the “social and environmental responsibility” that comes with being an architect. The jury appreciated her curiosity and research-oriented approach to her student work, attributes verified in a recommendation from a celebrated firm that described her remarkable initiative and technical rigor.
Bio Excerpt: Living and working in Los Angeles makes it nearly impossible to ignore the housing crisis unfolding around us. The city’s cost of living, its shortage of affordable units, and its homelessness epidemic are not abstract policy problems, they are visible on every street corner and felt by neighbors, coworkers, and communities I care about. As a prospective architect, I feel both the weight of that reality and a sense of possibility. Architecture cannot solve the housing crisis alone, but architects have a role to play, in collaboration with nonprofits, private developers, and city and state agencies, in designing lasting homes for people who need them most.
Jury Comments: A motivated individual and model emerging professional. The Jury was impressed with Emily Dinnerman’s bravery, maturity, and entrepreneurship in co-founding her own experimental practice, a think tank, while relatively fresh out of school and her leadership in addressing gender disparities as Vice Co-Chair of the AIA| LA Women in Architecture Committee.
Bio Excerpt: After SCI-Arc, I co-founded Substrata Design, a certified Small Business Enterprise focused on community-facing architecture in Los Angeles. We navigate LADBS permitting, Title 24, ADA compliance, and the friction between what the client needs and what the budget allows… The opportunity around LA28 and the FIFA World Cup is a chance to build civic infrastructure that outlasts the events and serves this region for decades.
Jury Comments: The jury was impressed with Shah’s strong international experience paired with domestic graduate education and recent practice in California. He pairs this with an exceptional work ethic, an understanding of the value and responsibility of licensure, and a strong perspective: “Space is never neutral,” notes Shah, “Even the smallest architectural intervention carries moral weight.”
Bio Excerpt: With over 10 years of experience across India and the United States, Sunny brings a global perspective shaped by his work with world-renowned architects. He combines technical rigor with a deep curiosity for how design shapes daily life — balancing big-picture vision with meticulous attention to detail to create spaces that feel both intentional and meaningful. Sunny specializes in production and project management, leveraging technology and efficient workflows to deliver successful outcomes. He has completed all AXP hours and is actively pursuing ARE licensure, with a commitment to applying his diverse experience and learnings toward contributing meaningfully to the architectural fabric.
The 2026 Welch Scholarship Jury was composed of Paul Welch, Hon. AIA; Christopher Roach, AIA; Caitlin Stevenson, AIA; Ingalill Wahlroos-Ritter, FAIA; and Marco Zhou, AIA.
About The California Architectural Foundation
The California Architectural Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting excellence in architecture through scholarships, grants, and educational programs—bridging the gap between the academic and professional worlds. CAF exists to provide a mechanism for members of the AIA and the general public to contribute to an organization with a great benefit to society.
