Last Thursday marked the EFFA, the opening reception of the graduating students’ exhibition from the Faculty of Environmental Design at Université de Montréal. It was an opportunity for the entire architectural community to discover the work of this new cohort soon to enter professional practice and to recognize the quality of their work.

Indeed, this event is also when awards and scholarships are presented to the most deserving students. This year additionally marks the beginning of a long-term collaboration between STGM and the Université de Montréal School of Architecture. It is with great enthusiasm that we awarded, for the first time, the STGM Architecture scholarship for Best contemporary intervention in a heritage context. The scholarship was awarded to Clara Tardif for her project Baron Byng: today’s public secondary school at the heart of Montréal’s century-old heritage.

This transition from the academic world to professional life is both overwhelming and liberating for students. After many years of study—sometimes demanding and marked by obstacles—future architects step into an unfamiliar world, one where deadlines, collaborative and interdisciplinary work, fees, and client relationships come into play. At first, they may feel anxious about the impressive amount of knowledge they still need to acquire, despite the many years spent in school. At the same time, they are excited and slightly dizzy at the thought of the world of possibilities that suddenly opens up before them.

Professionals, for their part, welcome former students with a mix of apprehension and hope, wishing for a smooth transition between these two worlds and hoping that this major shift will not be too disruptive for their new colleagues. They are also eager and enthusiastic about discovering new ideas and emerging talent.

The professional and academic worlds feed into one another. The arrival of new cohorts is like a breath of fresh air that sweeps through the profession each year. New ideas, new cultures, and new values often enter our firms through these architects in the making, who join us each year—cautious, curious, and a little unsure.

Dear graduates, step forward with confidence, proud of the knowledge you have acquired and the skills you have developed throughout your years of study. It is true that you still have a great deal to learn, but we are ready to welcome you with open arms and will be happy to share what we know during your internships. Above all, we are genuinely happy and excited at the idea of meeting you and supporting you as you begin learning what we believe to be the most rewarding profession in the world.

And finally, we look forward to seeing you on June 9 at EXFA, the Master’s in Architecture Graduates Exhibition at Université Laval. Once again, it will be an opportunity to discover new talent and future colleagues.