1. What was your undergraduate degree and how did it influence your decision to pursue a MLA?
My undergraduate degree is in Architecture which I also acquired at the University of Tennessee. This progressed my design education to a point where I wasn’t satisfied with the idea of only practicing in the built environment. My professors at UTK always pushed us to think about how our designs affected/molded the surrounding fabric of communities. With my minor in environmental studies I finally understood the missing piece was creating places with identity formed with both enclosed spaces and living matter; ecological communities.
2. What’s the most significant assignment/project you have worked on, and why is it the most significant?
2. What’s the most significant assignment/project you have worked on, and why is it the most significant?
In the semester of Spring 2023, my studio traveled to California and experienced some of the most interesting landscapes I have yet to see myself. Observing a new place that is diverse ecologically with the guidance of locals and professionals offered enough knowledge to begin understanding site specific natural systems. This was extremely valuable to my education and hopefully my career as I pursue working in several different cities and contextual regions.
3. Do you have any pets?
I have a dog named Moo who is almost 4 years old. She has been with me for over half of my college education now and has motivated me to get out of my comfort zone and explore more of the trails that the Great Smoky Mountains have to offer.
4. What is the last book you read?
The last book I read is Planting in a Post-Wild World by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West. This book dives into how plant communities are changing with human intervention. The personal relationships with the authors and ecology make the book very easy to understand and digestible. I also finished reading A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara and it was extremely sad (not for the faint of heart), but is a great read for understanding other people’s experiences in life and friendships. It begins with a group of friends in post graduate schooling, therefore an easy beginning to relate to.