Architect. John Vredenburgh Van Pelt was the first American to receive the degree of Architecte diplome par le gouvernement at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. Van Pelt was born in New Orleans and had also studied at the Ecole des Arts Decoratifs in Paris, and in the studio of Douillard et Thierry, before attending the Beaux-Arts. He continued to practice and study in Paris at the Atelier Deglane until his appointment at Cornell as assistant professor of planning and design. Van Pelt succeeded Alexander Buel Trowbridge ('90) as dean in 1902, serving until 1904.