Thomas Wasmoen
Major: Bachelor of Environmental Design
Additional Degrees: Bachelor of Architecture
Previous job titles and organizations:
Project Architect/Marketing Manager - Paul Meyer Architects, Inc.
Team Leader/Project Architect/Marketing - Ryan Companies US, Inc.
Project Architect - KKE Architects, Inc.
Organization: Hartford Group A/E, Inc.
How did you find this job?
Through a job posting on the AIA Minnesota website.
My daily tasks include: coordination of workload, staff recruitment, design direction, coordination & consultation, corporate leadership position and creation of department structure & policy.
The Professional Practice course taught by Jeff Scherer was the most helpful. It was however too short a time period to learn all that was necessary on the subject. The next most helpful were the historic preservation classes taught by Foster Dunwiddie. He had us doing measured drawings, field study and meeting with contractors while other instructors were lecturing us on "what is entrance" and "what is window". Field dimensioning was one of the first skills I used as an intern.
The amount of paperwork beyond drawing was a huge surprise. Also, considering the legal ramifications of every decision we make. Sometimes, clients wouldn't always treat us with respect and would be dismissive of design suggestions. I'll stop there I don't want to scare anybody off!
Use the undergraduate experience to experiment freely. It is the only time in your life where building codes, physics and gravity don't weigh your creativity down! In terms of the first job, be realistic about the tasks you are likely to be assigned, be a team player, don't get emotionally attached to anything you put onto paper and network like a madman!