Laura is from Gilbertsvillle, Pennsylvania and Wilmington, Delaware and is a 5+1 student who graduated in May, 2024.
1. What is your undergraduate degree in?
My undergraduate degree in Architecture was completed here at UTK through the Academic Common Market.
2. Did you partake in any internships during your time in the MLA program? If so, where?
During my time in the MLA program, I interned with Kimley-Horn in Alpharetta/Atlanta and Site Design Group, ltd. in Chicago and learned a lot about different firm structures and cultures as well as learning on-the-job skills, the challenges of design and construction in different cities and climates, and met some really interesting people.
3. What aspect of the school has had the most impact on you?
There's so many opportunities here to be exposed to new ideas if you go to them, and they often support or influence the projects you're working on and can help your design process along, whether its Monday night lectures, heading over to Ag Campus and the Gardens, or student-professional organizations like AIAS and ASLA.
My undergraduate degree in Architecture was completed here at UTK through the Academic Common Market.
2. Did you partake in any internships during your time in the MLA program? If so, where?
During my time in the MLA program, I interned with Kimley-Horn in Alpharetta/Atlanta and Site Design Group, ltd. in Chicago and learned a lot about different firm structures and cultures as well as learning on-the-job skills, the challenges of design and construction in different cities and climates, and met some really interesting people.
3. What aspect of the school has had the most impact on you?
There's so many opportunities here to be exposed to new ideas if you go to them, and they often support or influence the projects you're working on and can help your design process along, whether its Monday night lectures, heading over to Ag Campus and the Gardens, or student-professional organizations like AIAS and ASLA.
4. What advice would you give to incoming students?
1. Don't prioritize the project over your health and well-being; you'll do your best work when you're well-rested, fed, and hydrated.
2. Take breaks! Inspiration is a lot more likely to strike you while you're out and about experiencing and seeing new things rather than when you're slouched over your studio desk.
3. Draw! Draw everything. It'll help you remember things about the site, your concepts, fun facts to remember, and more. Drawing will also help you to communicate those ideas in a quick sketch that you can then take to the computer now that you have a plan and some key details mapped out.
5. What are your plans after you graduate?
I am excited to announce that I just accepted a job with OLIN Philadelphia, and I'll be starting with them this summer.
1. Don't prioritize the project over your health and well-being; you'll do your best work when you're well-rested, fed, and hydrated.
2. Take breaks! Inspiration is a lot more likely to strike you while you're out and about experiencing and seeing new things rather than when you're slouched over your studio desk.
3. Draw! Draw everything. It'll help you remember things about the site, your concepts, fun facts to remember, and more. Drawing will also help you to communicate those ideas in a quick sketch that you can then take to the computer now that you have a plan and some key details mapped out.
5. What are your plans after you graduate?
I am excited to announce that I just accepted a job with OLIN Philadelphia, and I'll be starting with them this summer.
