Designing Your Future: Expanding Horizons for Girls in Architecture

On April 9, 2016, the School of Architecture participated in Montana State University's Expanding Your Horizon's program which introduces Middle School girls around Montana to career opportunities in STEM fields. Students from the American Insatiate of Architecture Students (AIAS) led four groups of ten girls in designing buildings from blocks.

The students involved included: Elizabeth Seidel, Sarah Burke, Wes Ditmeyer, Haley Teske, Ashley Cope, Michaela Leibel, Katie O’Neill, Joseph Bryan and Thomas Femrite.

Graduate students Elizabeth Seidel and Sarah Burke gave introductory explanations of architectural drawing conventions like the floor plan, and design tools like the grid, with assistance from Architecture Faculty Members, Susanne Cowan and Chere LeClair.

With anticipation, we watched to see how the girls became completely absorbed, using the block modules to realize their visions for all sorts of buildings like riding stadiums, swimming pools, skyscrapers, and houses. Many creatively tweaked the grid to develop unique angles and irregular forms.

Many of the girls had driven more than four hours to come to the one day event, showing their enthusiasm for science fields. Several girls plan to study stem fields like medicine, and a few were considering studying architecture. The theme "design your future" was meant to empower girls to imagine and pursue opportunities in technical fields like architecture.

The School of Architecture has about 40% female students, and about 30% female faculty.

Photos by Ashley Cope. Courtesy of Montana State University School of Architecture. The images feature MSU School of Architecture faculty and students including Susanne Cowan, Chere LeClair, Elizabeth Seidel, Sarah Burke, Wes Ditmeyer, Haley Teske, Michaela Leibel, Katie O’Neill, Joseph Bryan and Thomas Femrite.