Contact: Allison Matthews
Mississippi State's Carl Small Town Center is one of four national host organizations receiving an Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellow.
The fellow will work for three years beginning January 2013. A rigorous selection process will match fellows to the host organizations in the coming weeks.
The Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellowship offers a select few of the nation's finest, early career architects the opportunity for first-hand training and experience in sustainable community design work. Fellows work within a community to forge local ties and expand the capacity of their host organizations. The fellowship strives to create sustainable, affordable housing for people of low-income in underserved communities.
At Mississippi State, the Carl Small Town Center fellow will work to implement the Baptist Town Master Plan, which won a national American Planning Association award in 2011.
Baptist Town is one of the oldest and most historic African-American neighborhoods in Greenwood. Known to many through the works of blues musician and storyteller David "Honeyboy" Edwards, the community was the last place legendary bluesman Robert Johnson lived before his death. Morgan Freeman, one of the nation's most famous actors, also attended school in Baptist Town.
"This fellowship opportunity is a very prestigious, highly competitive honor that will benefit our center, as well as the fellow's architectural knowledge and experience. But more importantly, this opportunity will benefit the neighborhood of Baptist Town," said John Poros, CSTC director.
Poros said many residential structures are in need of renovation. The master plan developed by MSU architecture and landscape architecture majors provides direction for restoration and revitalization of the area. Plans call for the addition of a public park, a community center and improved housing.
The research and service arm of MSU's School of Architecture, Art and Design, the Carl Small Town Center works to help improve the lives of residents in historically and culturally significant communities, among other missions.
For more information about Mississippi State University, see www.msstate.edu.