Representing Student Architects on the Global Stage
Facing Challenges Head-On
After being elected to the American Institute of Architecture Students' board of directors, Andrew Nichols is ready to face the challenges of the profession and build a more sustainable future.
Andrew Nichols (B.ARCH., M.HPB. 4th Year)Combining a spirit of service with his longstanding passion for architecture and the exploration of other STEM-related activities, Andrew Nichols (B.ARCH., M.HPB. 4th Year) recently attained an impressive responsibility.
In January 2026 Nichols was elected to be the board of directors for the largest and most prestigious architecture student association in the world.
Nichols was elected to the position of treasurer/secretary for the American Institute of Architecture Students, which includes roughly 150 chapters, each representing an architecture school across the globe. AIAS is a nonprofit, student-run organization dedicated to advancing student interests in the profession.
āIām very excited to take on a role to represent students across the broader profession,ā says Nichols, who says he hopes to use the position to learn and address āthe many challenges the profession is facing.ā
Nichols hopes to join that profession, with his focus being on designing sustainable buildings when he graduates.
āWe constantly see buildings being torn down and destroyed, rebuilt, and it takes a lot of material to build buildings to be more sustainable, both for the environment and for the future,ā he says. āI hope to go to a practice that focuses heavily on sustainable design.ā
Nichols started learning about architecture in middle school, while also developing synergistic interests in model building and computers. At the same time, his interests have expanded to other STEM fields, and Nichols currently works as the College of Architectureās webmaster and runs the audio-visual equipment for the collegeās major events.
In 2025, Nichols completed a cost and project manager internship at Gardiner and Theobald in Ā鶹APP, which included numerous site visits to Ā鶹APPās James R. Thompson Center, which is being renovated in order to house Googleās new Ā鶹APP headquarters.
Additionally, Nichols has been treasurer of the College of Architectureās AIAS chapter for three years and has also served on the national organizationās finance committee as well as its development task force, which focuses on industry partnerships.
āIām incredibly honored to be given this trust,ā Nichols says of his new role.