It was in 2018 that the former Republic building downtown opened its doors to the first cohort of students entering into Indiana University’s J. Irwin Miller Architecture Program.
There are 18 graduates in the 2021 class, said T. Kelly Wilson, the graduate program’s director, and three years later, many of that group are preparing to graduate.
In addition to being the program’s first graduating cohort, the students have also had to deal with the struggles of completing their degree amid a pandemic. At times, this meant going virtual; at other times, it meant blended instruction. Some students said that COVID-19 posed challenges to the collaborative, idea-sharing community the program promotes.
“It’s definitely had an impact," said graduate Stacy Hardy. "I’ve been studying remotely. I definitely miss the studio culture and being around my peers and having those people to kind of bounce ideas off of in a more open setting. … It definitely created more distance than the normal studio culture environment.”
Architecture, by nature, is a really collaborative profession, said graduate Patrick Dimond. "And I think that way for all of design. I think you need to be talking about ideas and throwing them back and forth, just because some ideas are absolutely crazy and some ideas are feasible. So I think it’s been challenging, not being able to be with each other. But it goes to show how great technology is, because we’ve been able to Zoom.”
While Zoom and other aspects of virtual learning have been challenging at times, the architecture students are prepared, adaptable and now able to work in "a number of different environments," he said.
As graduation approaches, Dimond said he’s still going through interviews at present, though he added many of his peers have plans such as working at architectural firms in Indianapolis or continuing academic pursuits.
He’s feeling both confident about the future and a little anxious.
"I know that materials cost quite a bit right now, but from what I can tell, there seems to be quite a number of jobs," Dimond said. "And I also believe that when you come out with an architecture degree, you can do a great many things."
Hardy said that she’s currently an assistant to an interior designer and will continue to work there as an independent contractor for a while, she plans to continue pursuing an architectural position.
Graduate Maria Meza said that she has received an offer from an architectural firm in Indianapolis, and Victoria Bell said that she’s got a full-time position lined up with Entheos Architects (also Indianapolis-based), where she interned last summer.
While Bell has a job lined up, she’s heard others say that they’ve been having difficulty finding one. It was hard to find an internship last summer, because businesses are trying to save money and "make sure that they can survive for the long haul," she said.
The pandemic has likely affected entry-level positions in particular and could mean that some individuals who are a new in the field might have to gain experience remotely, Hardy said.
“I think we are coming into a unique position. There’s a lot of effort to build sustainably," Hardy said.
Indiana seems to have more architecture job opportunities than other states, Meza said. Tax incentives may be a factor, she said.
“I do believe that the government has been incentivizing more construction of affordable housing," she said. "So that has definitely made an impact on the amount of jobs for architecture there are right now.”
As she prepares for graduation, Meza said she is excited about the opportunities ahead and feels a "sense of adventure."
Hardy and Bell said they feel excited about the future as well, though both said it’s sad to part ways with the community of the architecture program.
“We’ve definitely had such an amazing experience together," Hardy said. She added that they’ve made "lifelong connections" through the program.
Dimond said that while he can’t speak for everyone, he thinks his cohort would agree that the Columbus community has been "wonderful and welcoming" during their time here.
"We’re still in a pandemic," he said. "And we’ve seen a bit of a recession. There’s so many things that have happened, but Columbus has always felt like such a great place to be and such a great home. So I think the entire cohort is just thankful that we’ve had a really beautiful city to live in with really friendly people, and we’ve been embraced.”
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Indiana University’s J. Irwin Miller Architecture Program, established in 2018, is a three-year master’s degree program based in Columbus and offered through the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture and Design.
The architecture program is located at the former Republic building, 333 Second St, which the newspaper occupied from 1971 through December 2016.
The all-glass building was designed by renowned American architect Myron Goldsmith, of the Chicago-based firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. The building was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2012.
To learn more about the J. Irwin Miller Architecture Program through Indiana University, visit architecture.indiana.edu.
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