Architectette

Replay!
This week on Architectette, we’re spotlighting the voices of recent graduates from architecture programs across the globe. We asked all of our guests the same questions to gain insight into their unique experiences as they transition from academia to professional practice.
From how the pandemic shaped their academic experience to the movie that best describes their studio life, we dive deep into the highs and lows of their time in school. You'll hear some of the best pieces of advice they received during critiques, their thoughts on navigating internships, and the challenges of job hunting. We also asked about the surprises they encountered when they first entered the workplace, mentorship and management, and how they're learning in hybrid environments.
Finally, we asked our guests to look toward the future: we chat about how they plan to approach their AREs, what advice they'd give to the next class of graduates, and what they hope their legacy will be when they retire. 
Lauren Maloney recently graduated from the University of Kansas as a part of their 5-year Master of Architecture program. While there, she developed a focus in Health and Wellness architecture and looks forward to making a difference in healthcare settings as an Associate at a firm in the Midwest.

Here's what we asked:
1. Introductions: what is your name, where did you go to school, when did you graduate?
2. How did the pandemic affect your academic experience?
3. If you had to describe your studio experience as a movie, which would you pick and why? 
4. What was an impactful critique or piece of advice you received during a crit? 
5. Did you intern during school? 
6. Describe the job application process. Do you have tips for others regarding reaching out, interview questions, portfolio preparation, or software readiness?
7. When applying to firms, what factors were most important to you?
8. Did you negotiate any aspects of your offer? (salary, PTO, schedule?)
9. Once working, what is something about the practice of architecture that surprised you? What is something that you had to overcome? 
10. Is it challenging to learn in a hybrid environment? How do you learn/ interact with colleagues?
11. If you were a manager of recent grads, how would you mentor them?
12. Do you plan on taking your AREs? What is your timeline? Did you accrue AXP hours during school?
13. What advice would you give to next year's graduates?
14. 40 years from now, when you retire, what do you hope is highlighted in your career description? 
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Erike De Veyra, Assoc. AIA, SEED, is a designer, seasoned project manager, and the founder of Design Gym. Her career spans architecture, public programming, and design education; bringing together creative practice with a strong focus on community impact. She recently earned a Master of Science in Design Thinking and Entrepreneurship, further shaping her interdisciplinary approach to design and leadership.
Design Gym is a platform that provides design education, workshops, educational programming, and design project leadership for clients and teams. Erike believes design is part of everyday life, that it should feel accessible, and that it should not be limited by cost or background.
Through her work, Erike empowers people to better understand the world around them and recognize their own ability to design. The individuals she works with leave more confident, more curious, and better equipped to be thoughtful stewards of design in their own communities.
We talk about: 
- Erike’s non-linear path in architecture which started with graduating during the Recession. We talk about the challenges of the job market at that time and how she  leveraged her volunteer leadership and extracurricular work to build skills, visibility, and career momentum.
- She speaks candidly about licensure, identity, and self-worth, unpacking the emotional realities of exams, motherhood, and redefining success beyond traditional firm roles.
- We highlight some of Erike’s most exciting roles, the impact she has had on the Philadelphia community, and how these opportunities led to the founding of Design Gym which blends architecture, design thinking, entrepreneurship, and education to help people of all ages build creativity and problem-solving confidence.
>>>
Connect with Erike:
Design Gym Website
Design Gym LinkedIn
Design Gym Instagram
>>>
Thank you to our Sponsor:
⁠⁠Arcol ⁠⁠is a collaborative building design tool built for modern teams. Arcol streamlines your design process by keeping your model, data, and presentations in sync- enabling your team to work together seamlessly.
Learn more about Arcol on their ⁠⁠Website⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠, ⁠⁠X⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠.
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Replay!
On today’s episode of Architectette we share a conversation with Jill Bergman, FAIA, FACHA. Jill is a Senior Health Strategist at HDR, based in San Francisco, California. She has focused on healthcare facility design for her entire career, mostly working on large projects and medical planning. 

We talk about: 
- The power of focusing her career on one specific project type and how her after-work involvement helped her deepen her knowledge of healthcare architecture, build a strong community, and expand her impact.
- Her recent elevation to FAIA and why she was advised to consider applying as a milestone, rather than a lifetime achievement (fun fact: it’s both!).
- We next talk about Jill’s early career experience as a mentee and how she draws from that experience as she heads the AIA Academy of Architecture for Health, Colleague 2 Colleague Mentorship Program.
- We talk a bit about applying the “yes, and...” principles of improv to architecture and Jill shares a few specific lessons from her incredible standing-room only 2023 Women’s Leadership Summit Session.
- We end by discussing how data analytics and benchmarking as well as in-person shadowing experiences in the hospital have influenced her work as an architect.
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Cari White is currently an Outsourced Controller with BlueStone Accounting Solutions. She has almost two decades worth of experience in the accounting industry where she has built meaningful relationships with her clients and colleagues. She prides herself on presenting financial information in an easily digestible format. 
When not working, Cari is spending time with her family; watching the Ravens, Orioles, and Terps; and seeing Broadway shows at the Hippodrome.
We talk about: 
- The relationship between design excellence and business sustainability. Cari explores the basic tenets of financial literacy for architects and defines essential KPIs. She explains how architecture firms can improve cash flow through more efficient invoicing and proactive communication with clients about scope creep.
- She highlights the positive impacts of introducing mid-career architects to project management concepts like budgets, staffing strategies, and profit margins to prepare them for leadership roles.
- As a person with architecture firm and non-architecture firm experience, Cari candidly discusses the benefits of seeking outside financial support when running a business.
- We end by chatting about the financial impact of caregiving on women’s careers, including how flexible work arrangements can retain talent while supporting long-term financial stability. Cari shares her experience negotiating flexible work schedules, making the business case for reduced hours, and maintaining trust in client-facing professional services roles.
>>>
Thank you to our Sponsor:
⁠⁠Arcol ⁠⁠is a collaborative building design tool built for modern teams. Arcol streamlines your design process by keeping your model, data, and presentations in sync- enabling your team to work together seamlessly.
Learn more about Arcol on their ⁠⁠Website⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠, ⁠⁠X⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠.
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Replay!
On today’s episode of Architectette we are branching out from the AEC industry to welcome our friend Tigress Osborn!
Tigress is the Board Chair of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance. NAAFA is a non-profit, volunteer, fat rights organization dedicated to protecting the rights and improving the quality of life for fat people. 

We talk about:
- Tigress’ leadership at NAAFA and the goals of the organization
- The challenges people of larger body sizes face in the built environment
- The language to use during these conversations, accessibility laws, and the burden of literally not being able to fit in some public spaces
- We also talk about the specifics of furniture, layouts, restaurants, bathrooms, and even parking spaces!
- I hope designers will leave this conversation being a bit more mindful about ways that they can design spaces to be more inclusive
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- LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Architectette Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Page and/or⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Caitlin Brady⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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