John Webster, AIA
Eugene Section Director-Elect

Dear AIA Oregon members,

As we enter the final stretch of 2025 and the traditional season of giving, I’d like to share a small outreach project I recently participated in.

The firm I work for, Robertson Sherwood Architects (RSA), is currently digitizing our old record drawings and no longer has a need for more than 100 storage tubes. These tubes were destined for disposal or recycling, but I saw an opportunity to help students at the University of Oregon—my alma mater—protect their drawings while also raising awareness of AIA.

RSA’s leadership enthusiastically supported the idea. They provided the tubes, which I temporarily stored in my garage while gathering additional materials for the final package.

I reached out to AIA National, who generously donated stickers for branding and provided a flier to promote AIA. A big thank-you to Rye Jackson (Manager, AIA Design Shop) for making that happen! I also added chapter-specific information to the back of the flier to highlight what AIA Oregon offers.

Once all the parts were ready, I began assembling the packages. My daughter helped apply stickers while I packed the tubes with the fliers. The final step was finding a way to get them into the hands of the students who could use them.

During a recent AIA Eugene event (EP Game Night), I met Vig Madhavan, a Pro-Tem Instructor teaching a studio at the University this term. After I shared the idea, he offered his studio as recipients. I delivered the tubes just before Thanksgiving break. His students seemed genuinely happy to receive them—both for protecting their hard work during the Oregon rainy season and for the information connecting them with our architectural community.

I’m grateful to have been part of this small project. I believe it highlights the many opportunities available through AIA: connecting with national staff, building relationships with local members, and making a meaningful—if modest—difference in our community.

As we close out the year, I invite each of you to look for your own small opportunities to give back—whether by supporting students, mentoring emerging professionals, sharing resources, or simply reaching out to strengthen our professional network. When each of us contributes a little, we create a vibrant, supportive architectural community that benefits us all.

Thank you to everyone who helped make the end of this year a little brighter. Let’s carry this spirit of generosity and connection into 2026 and beyond!