Kate Schwennsen, FAIA
Professor Emeritus and Director Emeritus
Contact
School of Architecture
Office: 1-159 Lee Hall
Email: kschwen@clemson.edu
Education
M.Arch., Iowa State University; B.A. in Architecture, with Distinction, Iowa State University
Kate Schwennsen, FAIA, Emeritus Faculty and Director Emeritus of the School of Architecture, Clemson University. She joined the Clemson faculty as Professor and Chair in August 2010. Kate retired from Clemson in May 2022. Kate is a recognized leader in bridging architectural education and practice, with expertise in issues of design leadership, diversity, and evolving models of practice and education in architecture. Kate has held many leadership positions, most recently as the 10-year director/chair of Clemson’s School of Architecture, and the 2-term Co-Chair of the Education Commission of the International Union of Architects (UIA), and Co-Reporter for the UNESCO/UIA Validation Council. Schwennsen was 2006 President of the American Institute of Architects, the second woman to serve as the elected leader of this then-149-year-old, 80,000-member organization. She is licensed to practice architecture in South Carolina and Iowa.
