During twilight investiture ceremonies at the historic Alamo in San Antonio May 4, Ron McCoy, ASU's university architect, was elevated to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects.

He was one of just 76 architects named to the college this year.

McCoy joins an elite group. Fewer than 2,600 of the nearly 81,000 AIA members have the distinction of being a fellow.

The fellowship program was developed to elevate architects “who have made a significant contribution to architecture and society, and who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession.”

Election to fellowship “not only recognizes the achievements of architects as individuals, but also their significant contribution to architecture and society on a national level,” according to the AIA.

McCoy, who received the Arizona Architects medal last year, was nominated for the honor by the Phoenix Metro Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

The distinction of fellow honors McCoy for his achievements as an educator and university architect, which, he says is an unusual combination.

As university architect, McCoy oversees the architecture and planning of all ASU campuses. The current projects include the Downtown Phoenix campus expansion, Barrett Honors College, south campus housing, and the Arts and Business Gateway at Tempe Center.

More than just supervising the construction of buildings, McCoy must see that the campus additions “manifest the vision of the New American University.”

Before joining ASU as a professor of architecture, McCoy was a senior and associate architect with Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates, where he led several projects that received regional and national design awards. He was a faculty member for 10 years at the Southern California Institute of Architecture, and he also has taught at Temple University, Drexel University and Otis Parsons Art Institute.