Scholarship Winner
Collin Yan
2025 FASAE SoCal Education Foundation Alimento-Niere Scholarship recipient.
Collin is a fourth-year Architecture major at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo whose early fascination with the built environment has driven strong academic performance and recognition, including a Dean’s List record and a national award for “Most Biophilic Design.” His work reflects a passion for adaptive reuse and historic preservation, strengthened through studio projects and professional experience at COAR Design Group. Beyond technical design, he is committed to service and advocacy, serving in leadership roles with NOMAS and AIAS Freedom By Design while contributing to global outreach efforts in Malaysia. Looking ahead, Collin plans to study sustainable design in Switzerland and pursue a career focused on creating adaptive, community-centered spaces that honor both history and future needs.
Collin is a fourth-year Architecture major with a minor in City and Regional Planning at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Growing up in a small town north of San Francisco with limited public gathering spaces, Collin developed an early fascination with the built environment. This curiosity sparked a dedication to academic excellence, reflected in his consistent presence on the Dean’s List and his recent recognition for the "Most Biophilic Design" at the National Design-Build Competition.
His architectural philosophy centers on adaptive reuse and historic preservation, viewing design as a tool to breathe new life into existing structures. Through his design studio courses and professional internship at COAR Design Group, he has developed a robust technical skillset in digital modeling, design development, and sustainable planning. His portfolio includes diverse projects that embody his ideals, ranging from a rehabilitation center facilitating animal coexistence to a recent retrofit of a historic church in Ferrara, Italy, transforming it into a modern gallery and residential space.
Beyond design experience, Collin is deeply committed to servant leadership and community advocacy. He currently serves as the Public Relations & Outreach Lead for the Cal Poly NOMAS Chapter and as the Historian for AIAS Freedom By Design. His dedication to service extends globally. His work with Journey Christian Fellowship helped to raise over $2,000 in support of underprivileged children and medical workers in Malaysia. These experiences, combined with his background mentoring peers as a high school theater Lighting Director, have solidified his belief that leadership is about empowering others to discover their own strengths.
Looking forward, Collin aims to broaden his global perspective by studying innovative design and sustainability in Switzerland. He aspires to join a professional practice where he can integrate his passion for environmental stewardship with community engagement. Ultimately, Collin envisions his career as a means to create adaptive spaces that honor the past while serving the inclusive needs of future generations.