Denice Hunt K-12 Internship

This Internship honors the memory of Denice Johnson Hunt AIA, a K-12 activist and the first woman of African-American heritage to serve as an AIA component President, and her commitment to diversifying the design professions through youth education.

In 1998, AIA Seattle’s Diversity Roundtable, acting in cooperation with the family and friends of the late Denice Hunt, established the AIA Seattle Denice Johnson Hunt K-12 Internship at the University of Washington College of Built Environments. In 2003, the Diversity Roundtable Committee completed a campaign to endow the program, with funds held and administered by the University of Washington.

The purpose of this fund is to provide support for student scholarship and activities in the College of Built Environments, particularly for deserving students involved in independent learning plans that increase awareness of architecture and urban design among children attending the public school system. Born on August 14, 1948 in Kingston, Jamaica, Denice Johnson Hunt, AIA, earned an undergraduate degree from Tufts University and a Masters of Architecture from MIT in 1976. Denice was licensed to practice architecture in Washington State and at the time of her death was the only black female licensed architect residing in Seattle. She practiced architecture and urban planning in both the private and public sectors. She was deputy chief of staff to Seattle Mayor Norman Rice and served as the 1995 President of the Seattle chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Seattle), becoming the first woman of African descent in the nation to hold this position. As a city official, Denice helped shape the policies and processes that produced some of Seattle’s most distinctive amenities, including waterfront and downtown development, Benaroya Symphony Hall, and the African American Heritage Museum. Denice particularly enjoyed working with young people and sharing her story as a woman of color who brought a rich cultural expression to her practice of architecture and urban design. She consistently sought to encourage youth citizenship via the power of design through her AIA leadership and in her work for the city. She initiated national and local programs that engaged K-12 students in the planning and design processes. Whether working for private firms or as a public official, Denice always drew young citizens into a discussion of major city proposals, thus enlarging the pool of minority and disadvantaged persons who were able to access the planning and design professions.

Internship Recipients