Arathi Gowda
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Chicago, IL USA
"It's hard in the beginning. But it's important to honor that process as a young person, because there are going to be very few times in your life when you can just up and move to a new city."
Career Roadmap
Arathi's work combines: Design, Environment & Nature, and Teaching / Mentoring
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Take Roadmap QuizSkills & Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Architecture
Carnegie Mellon University
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
After graduating from high school, she took a road trip to Zion National Park.
2.
The beauty and wonder of that area inspired her to put an environmentally friendly focus on her work.
3.
She chose to go to Carnegie Mellon University to study under one of the premiere environmental architects, Vivian Loftness.
4.
She didn't grow up in a particularly creative family, so the jump into design was a big one; she felt like she had to find an eye for beauty.
5.
Graduated when the economy was at a low point, and struggled with finding relevant work, had to take a few odd jobs.
6.
When she first got into the field of environmental design, people were skeptical; now, we've realized that sustainability is crucial to design.
7.
Says school is not going to train you how to communicate in the professional world, so you have to stay open and attentive around your peers.
8.
Encourages young people to travel and take new jobs before they get too tied down with commitments.