Charlston Britton Jr., fifth-year undergraduate in the LSU School of Architecture, was awarded a Simpson Strong-Tie scholarship for the 2016-17 academic year.

The scholarship was established by the Simpson Strong-tie Company to assist architecture, structural engineering, and construction management students from participating colleges and universities in the United States. Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of academic record, demonstrated leadership, and participation in school and community activities.

Britton will graduate from the LSU School of Architecture in May 2017 with a Bachelor of Architecture and a minor in construction management. As a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Britton has experienced both the positive and negative effects the design of the built environment has on society. During his third year of study, he was named a 2015 Ronald E. McNair Research Scholar, and he conducted design research on urban resilience the following summer. Britton has served as the vice president of the LSU chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architecture Students, or NOMAS, a student organization that strives to create diversity within the design professions by promoting the excellence, community involvement, and professional development of its members. During the summer of 2016, Britton interned at Picardie Timber Frame + Millwork to gain more knowledge of the construction industry. He has also volunteered for STEM NOLA, a program that exposes, inspires, and engages members of the surrounding communities about the opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Currently, Britton is seeking to gain work experience while applying to graduate programs in planning, including the Master of Science in Community and Regional Planning program at the University of Texas at Austin and the Master of Urban and Regional Planning program at the University of New Orleans.

For more information about the Simpson Strong-Tie scholarship, visit strongtie.com/scholarships. Visit architecture.lsu.edu for more information about the LSU School of Architecture.