Mississippi State's School or Architecture is celebrating its 25th anniversary during 1998-99 with several events and activities for alumni and friends.

Established in 1973, the school has since become nationally recognized for being the first in the nation to require students to use laptop computers and the first to incorporate virtual reality technology into the undergraduate curriculum.

The school's faculty and students also are recognized nationally, including garnering three of six top awards given by the American Institute of Architecture Students in 1998. Public service projects in two Mississippi counties earned the Student Research Honor Award and the Special Accomplishment Honor Award. In addition, associate professor Shannon Criss received the Educator Honor Award.

In 1997, the campus AIAS chapter shared first-place honors with the University of Hawaii and is the only chapter to earn the distinction twice. AIAS includes more than 5,000 members in some 130 chapters.

To celebrate its history and accomplishments, the School of Architecture has launched a Silver Anniversary Celebration, according to Dean John McRae. After a year of planning, the celebration began this summer with the first-ever school-sponsored alumni travel program.

For almost two weeks, a group of 15 alumni and friends of the school traveled across the Tuscany countryside of Italy on a custom tour. Professor Michael Fazio accompanied the group to provide insight into the architectural sites of the area.

The Italian tour was followed by the Mississippi AIA chapter convention in Sandestin, Fla., where a celebration kickoff was held on the beach.

A record number of former and current school administrators, faculty, alumni, and Mississippi architects attended the convention, which focused on the relationship between professional practice and education.

"We are pleased with these initial events, but there is much more to come and all school alumni and friends are invited to join us for this year of celebration," said McRae. "This is an exciting time for the School of Architecture. Our official slogan 'Looking Backward, Looking Forward' encapsulates the purpose for celebrating our anniversary; it is a time for examining where we have been, what we have accomplished as a program, and most importantly, where we are going. I think it is essential to this process that we have significant alumni participation and input."

McRae said that the school planned the Silver Anniversary Celebration agenda to provide a variety of year-round activities. During Homecoming in October, the school sponsored an alumni exhibition, class reunions, and a "Barnyard Ball" dinner and dance. Scheduled for spring 1999 is a golf tournament and gala fund-raiser at Dancing Rabbit Golf Club and Silver Star Casino and Resort in Philadelphia.

"With these two main events, we hope to provide ample opportunities for many of our alumni to participate and make connections with a number of their classmates and faculty," said Liz Brister, the school's director of development.

Brister said one purpose of the anniversary is to initiate a campaign to establish a $100,000 endowment for student scholarships. Proceeds from all anniversary activities will be used to establish a Silver Anniversary Fund.

"In addition to general enhancement support for the School of Architecture, contributions will help to establish a scholarship fund of $100,000 for qualified entering architecture freshmen," explained Brister. "The Silver Scholarships permanently will recognize the contributions of many that participated in this special celebration."

For more information or to register for celebration events, visit the school's World Wide Web site at: http://www.sarc.msstate.edu/.