Carnegie Mellon School of Architecture Establishes PJ Dick Innovation Fund

The PJ Dick Trumbull Lindy Group has continued its partnership with Carnegie Mellon University by establishing the PJ Dick Innovation Fund with a generous $500,000 gift to the School of Architecture. The funds will be used to support existing school initiatives, including direct student support, equity in architecture, and design research. 

A longtime corporate partner of CMU, PJ Dick previously supported the School of Architecture with the PJ Dick Endowed Fellowship in Architecture Engineering and Construction Management.

The PJ Dick Innovation Fund is a meaningful investment toward the School of Architecture’s strategic goals which are outlined in Pedagogies 2020. The three pillars of the Innovation Fund: student support, equity, and design research, correspond to each of the three pedagogies that frame the School’s work: design fundamentals, ethics, and research. With this framework in place, the School of Architecture situates itself to address some of today’s biggest challenges, including climate change, the rise of artificial intelligence, and social justice.

“The PJ Dick Innovation Fund is an investment in the vision we have laid out for the school and will provide vital funds to initiate projects outlined in our strategic plan,” said Omar Khan, Head of the School of Architecture. “It is also a validation of our new direction from one of our longtime and valued benefactors.”

The PJ Dick Innovation Fund will accelerate priorities to support research expansion, UDream and other social equity initiatives, underwriting of student scholarships and fellowships, strengthening public programming, and investments in pedagogical improvements at Carnegie Mellon Architecture.