Ward V. Wells, professor of architecture and director of the Academy of Visual and Performing Arts at Texas A&M University, was honored for distinguished achievement as an educator and designer Feb. 24, 2004 by his alma mater, Kansas State University, with the designation of 2004 Alumni Fellow of the College of Architecture, Planning and Design.
Wells, who earned a bachelor's degree in architecture from Kansas State in 1973, and later served the university for four years as an interior architecture instructor, returned to the Manhattan, Kansas campus to be honored with 2004 Alumni Fellows from other colleges.
"Those were extraordinary times," Wells said of his undergraduate and teaching experiences at Kansas State. "As a student, Kansas State provided me with rigor and discipline in developing design skills, and later as a faculty member, the passion to teach them."
The fellows program recognizes Kansas State graduates who have distinguished themselves in their careers. Since it was established in 1983, only 172 of Kansas State's 140,000 plus alumni have received the prestigious honor.
Wells, who also earned a master's degree in architecture from the University of Oklahoma, has been on the architecture faculty at Texas A&M since 1977. His teaching and scholarly activities have focused on interior architecture, adaptive use, facility management, and architectural, furniture and health facilities design.
Wells is credited with developing an interior architecture emphasis for Texas A&M's master of architecture program, which in 1985, was recognized by Interiors Magazine as one of the top interdisciplinary programs in the nation. During this same period, students from his design studios won more than a dozen regional and national design competitions.
From 1990 to 2001, Wells served the College of Architecture as the executive associate dean and interim dean. As executive associate dean, he was chiefly responsible for academic affairs, for the planning and administration of the college.
As a member of the American Institute of Architects, Wells served on the steering committee of the Professional Interest Area for Interiors and was its national chair in 1996.
In 2001, Wells was appointed director of the Academy for Visual and Performing Arts at Texas A&M. As the director, he is responsible for enhancing art initiatives, especially those that involve collaboration among different art programs.
During his visit to Kansas State, Wells took advantage of several opportunities to meet with students and faculty and share his expertise in the classroom.
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