Design Your Future: ZGF Announces 2026 Scholarship Recipients
ZGF is proud to announce this year’s Norm Zimmer Scholarship and Emerging Black Architects & Designers Scholarship recipients.
The judging panels evaluated submissions for their innovation, presentation, storytelling, and professional experience. They gravitated toward compelling personal stories about overcoming obstacles, cultural and environmental sensitivity, and a deep sense of curiosity through conceptual and critical thinking.
2026 NORM ZIMMER SCHOLARSHIP: YUKA IMADA
Established in 2004, in memory of founding partner Norm Zimmer, the Norm Zimmer Scholarship exemplifies Norm’s spirit and devotion to design, community, and lifelong learning. With this guiding ethos in mind, each year one student is selected to receive $10,000 for university tuition and fees.
Yuka Imada, a Master of Architecture student at Columbia University, grew up in Japan surrounded by wooden architecture and landscapes that change with the seasons, allowing her to experience how buildings and materials evolve over time. This sparked Imada’s interest in the idea of impermanence and exploring how architecture can engage with natural systems, memory, and community. “Through design, I am committed to creating architecture that protects life while remaining in dialogue with the natural environment,” says Imada.
"ZGF scholarships reflect our firm’s ongoing commitment to uplifting the next generation of talent who will drive positive change in the architecture industry."
-Braulio Baptista, Partner, ZGF
2026 EMERGING BLACK ARCHITECTS & DESIGNERS SCHOLARSHIP: EDUARDO CABRERA AND CHRISTIN WILLIAMS
This year marks the sixth annual Emerging Black Architects & Designers Scholarship, which was created in 2020 after ZGF employees raised $160,000 in honor of Juneteenth. Each year, this scholarship program provides $5,000 to two students pursuing careers in the architecture and design profession.
Eduardo Cabrera, a Master of Architecture student at Columbia University, sees architecture as a way to address real-world challenges and inspire meaningful change. Cabrera shares how growing up in the Dominican Republic and attending school in New York City has shaped his unique perspective on architecture as “one that weaves together environmental systems, how materials behave, and what people experience day-to-day.”
Christin Williams, who holds a Bachelor of Architectural Studies from Florida A&M University, is passionate about designing communities that are affordable, sustainable, and filled with life. She believes everyone deserves a space that uplifts, calms, and inspires. “I don’t see design as just a profession but rather as a tool for healing, equity, and empowerment,” says Williams.
THE JUDGES
ZGF would like to thank the 2026 judging panels for their time and commitment to these scholarships. Both panels are comprised primarily of non-ZGF staff and formally recommend the winners to the Oregon Community Foundation.
2026 Norm Zimmer Scholarship judging panel:
- Adriana Argyropoulos, Principal and Founder, Studio Zia
- Mark Gardner, Associate Professor of Architectural Practice and Society, Parsons School of Design; Principal, Jaklitsch/Gardner Architects; Vice President | President-Elect AIA New York
- Carol Kekez, Principal, PLACE
- Jenna McKnight, Architectural Journalist and Senior Contributing Editor, Dezeen
- Braulio Baptista, Partner, ZGF
- Toby Hasselgren, Partner, ZGF
- Kate Mann, Partner, ZGF
2026 Emerging Black Architects & Designers Scholarship judging panel:
- Shamika M. Godley, AIA, NOMA, NCARB, SGodley Architects
- R. Steven Lewis, FAIA, NOMAC, President, Thinking Leadership
- John F. Sivills III, Assoc. AIA Lead Urban Designer, Central Planning Region, Detroit Planning and Development Dept.
- Nick Awori, Principal, ZGF
Learn more at zgf.com/scholarships.
