TDA Hosts a Student Shadow Day

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TDA Hosts a Student Shadow Day
During the summer school break, ThenDesign Architecture hosted a Student Shadow Day, inviting high school and college students interested in the design fields to participate in learning sessions and hands-on activities. The group spent the day shadowing TDA teams, engaging with designers who offered insights and career advice.

TDA Hosts a Student Shadow Day

ThenDesign Architecture’s summer Student Shadow Day provided a unique opportunity for local high school and college students interested in the architecture, interior design, and construction administration fields. The staff hosted nearly twenty students, with around one-third of the attendees still in high school and the remainder attending college. For some, it was their first time in an architecture office.

“We were genuinely thrilled about the event and couldn’t wait to share our passion for architecture, interior design, and construction administration with the students,” commented Dr. Christina Moran, the Director of People Operations at TDA. Christina helped organize the event alongside several staff members to create a schedule of interactive discussions and learning sessions to provide valuable insights and experiences to these potential designers.

Students who met with TDA through local career fairs, previously interviewed for a position, or were in association with a partnering school district were among the pool of attendees. Christina said, “Their enthusiasm was palpable, and seeing their eager responses to the invites heightened our excitement for the day.”

After everyone arrived, TDA partner Robert Fiala summarized the firm’s history and gave an overview of what has made the company successful.

“The unique value of Student Shadow Day lies in the opportunity it offers students: a chance to step into an architect's office, witness our work, understand our methods, and be immersed in the culture of design through a hands-on learning experience."
Robert Fiala, AIA
Partner

TDA Hosts a Student Shadow Day

Designing Schools From Inside a School

The students found the building tour particularly interesting because TDA’s offices are located in the renovated Memorial Junior High School in Willoughby, Ohio. This historic school was originally constructed in the 1920s, and many original features, such as the lockers and original doors, are still intact. Christina said, “The students enjoyed that our teams design schools and much of our work is done from inside a former school building.”

A question-and-answer session on architecture, interior design, and construction administration and a one-on-one speed networking activity drew out the energy of the group and allowed them to quickly introduce themselves to each other, emphasizing the importance of building professional relationships with their peers.

The interiors team led an artistic activity where students created their own palette of materials, including fabrics, flooring, paint colors, surfaces, and wall coverings, and presented their choices to the group, fostering a sense of collaboration and creativity.

“TDA is mindful of the surrounding community and those we serve. The Student Shadow Day event is a thread between our work, our mission, and who we are as people."
Dr. Christina Moran

Students Interact with the Design Teams

Imparting Core Values

“The Student Shadow Day aligns with our core values of leadership, teamwork, and creativity,” noted Christina. “Whether they come to work at TDA or not, we hope to inspire the next generation of designers by infusing them with a sense of serving the community. We know they will go on to do great things in the world and feel honored to be a part of their early professional experience.”

By the end of the day, students were engaging boldly, exploring their curiosity, and asking honest questions, which always makes for better conversations.

Reflecting after the event, Christina recalls, “Seeing them leave with a little more confidence, ready to embark on their design career journey, is gratifying. It would be amazing for TDA to be a part of their story.”

“Student Shadow Day is a chance for us to share our story of architecture and design and ignite students’ passion for pursuing this as a career choice."
Robert Fiala, AIA
Partner
ThenDesign Architecture Student Shadow Day

You can find out what our interns say about us here. 

Let’s work together to make education better. If you would like more information on our open positions or internship programs, please visit our Careers page.

Marc Cebrian

Marc Cebrian

Communications

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Marc Cebrian

Marc has over thirty years of media production experience with a wide variety of storytelling projects that include commercials, documentaries, and live events. He began his career in the feature film and television industry in Los Angeles, California. Naturally driven by a passion for the creative and analytical, he believes that people should be kind to one another, and strives to live by example.
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The TDA Intern Experience

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The TDA Intern Experience
ThenDesign Architecture is where new talent can gain valuable insight and professional growth by actively participating in every stage of design. We also understand the importance of enjoying the learning process, which is why we ensure that our interns have fun along the way to completing their degrees. This is the TDA intern experience.

The TDA Intern Experience

ThenDesign Architecture is a place where people can learn to enhance their craft in the architecture and interior design fields. We operate as a teaching and learning firm where designers of all skill levels can grow in their profession and provide mentorship to colleagues and interns alike. Fostering a culture that encourages exploration and collaboration, TDA hosts consistent Emerging Professionals, co-ops, and internship programs for those seeking hands-on experience at a dynamic design firm.

TDA is where new talent can gain valuable insight and professional growth by actively participating in every stage of design. We also understand the importance of enjoying the learning process, which is why we ensure that our interns have fun along the way to completing their degrees.

Recent interns Clarissa Plassman, Clayton Virzi, and Emma Cek share their experiences working with their design teams at ThenDesign Architecture.

“TDA feels like a family. I gained a lot of knowledge in the design field and made some friendships."
Emma Cek
Intern

Clarissa Plassman's TDA Intern Experience

“Some of the most prominent factors that made me fall in love with interior design are creativity and expression, its impact on daily life, and the ability to problem-solve collaboratively. The opportunity to create spaces that enhance people’s comfort and quality of life makes interior design impactful and rewarding. Designers need to optimize space, flow, and functionality while considering lighting, acoustics, and ergonomic factors. This aspect of problem-solving adds an intellectually stimulating component to the field.

“During my experience at TDA, I have acquired a versatile skillset that includes applying design concepts practically, honing communication skills for effective collaboration with team members, mastering technical skills in design software, understanding the properties and applications of various materials, navigating design challenges, enhancing time management skills, learning to interact professionally with clients and present design concepts, and experiencing construction sites to bridge design with reality. These lessons have collectively prepared me for a dynamic and rewarding career in interior design.

“TDA truly shines when it comes to its culture. I came to understand the importance of a company having a clear mission and values that drive decisions. These values give a sense of purpose and a path to follow. The best part is how open and honest everyone is. This kind of culture encourages everyone to be transparent, trust each other, and work together. With the guidance of impressive mentors, TDA is all about how they can focus on helping us grow, both professionally and personally.

“TDA is invested in my potential and values what I can bring to the table.”

Clarissa Plassman has a bachelor’s degree in interior design from Kent State University and is now a full-time staff member.

Clayton Virzi's TDA Intern Experience

“It’s been a really good experience to see all the thought that goes into the design before we even start putting pen to paper. It was surprising how much feedback the school district provided to help guide the design team toward a more accurate depiction of what they wanted for their school. Being in meetings and interacting with them directly was a very useful experience.

“I’ve gained new respect for the collaborative approach. Having two brains on something is better than just one. It didn’t feel like any one person was above everyone else. The team-centered culture had people working together to solve the same problem. I appreciated how comfortable it felt to go to others and discuss drawings so we could work it out. It’s been a very valuable experience being able to feel like I’m on the same level as everyone else on the team. The more you collaborate, the more confident you are to show others your design ideas, and that is a great skill to have.

“My favorite thing about working at TDA was interacting with the community and hearing how passionate everyone was. It was exciting to talk with parents who have kids who will be in one of the first classes at the new school. It was fun to have more in-depth conversations about what the students and staff were thinking. They had a lot of input to provide.

“I definitely felt like I was part of the team here at TDA. We were sort of one unit working together. People weren’t just asking one person questions, they were coming up to all of us. They were asking me the same questions that they would ask the project manager. That was really cool.”

Clayton Virzi is in the Architecture and Engineering master’s program at the University of Cincinnati.

Emma Cek's TDA Intern Experience

“During my time at TDA, I learned how to incorporate students and their experiences into the center of our designs. Coming in at the early stages of a project, I participated in the schematic design and programming of a new high school where this large project was divided into multiple sections and assigned to various team members.

“This was my first architectural job experience, so I didn’t know what to expect. My experience at TDA made me more excited for my future in architecture. Studio projects at school made me fear whether this field was right for me, but TDA told me I was on the right path.

“Seeing the schools that TDA designed opened my eyes to how much educational design has evolved to become a more welcoming and inviting space for students to learn in.

“The staff at TDA impressed me greatly with how they looked out for each other. TDA feels like a family. You never feel like you are on your own because you can ask for help from anyone in the firm. Numerous times, my coworkers provided a new take and a possible solution to the problem at hand. I look up to so many people in the firm and strive to be more like them every day.

“My experience at TDA has been a great one. I gained a lot of knowledge in the design field and made some friendships. What I will miss the most when I return to school is the culture. It was encouraging to know I am free to express my ideas without fear. I wasn’t expecting to find a place that felt like a second home.”

Emma Cek is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in architecture at the University of Cincinnati as she volunteers tutoring youth in Over the Rhine.

Emma Cek is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in architecture at the University of Cincinnati as she volunteers tutoring youth in Over the Rhine.
“TDA truly shines when it comes to its culture. These values give a sense of purpose and a path to follow."
Clarissa Plassman
Interior Designer
Archie Liptow Emerging Professionals Luncheon

Let’s work together to make education better. If you would like more information on our open positions or internship programs, please visit our Careers page.

Marc Cebrian

Marc Cebrian

Communications

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Marc Cebrian

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Marc has over thirty years of media production experience with a wide variety of storytelling projects that include commercials, documentaries, and live events. He began his career in the feature film and television industry in Los Angeles, California. Naturally driven by a passion for the creative and analytical, he believes that people should be kind to one another, and strives to live by example.
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Architect for a Week: Student Designed Softball Field

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Architecture for a Week: Student Designed Softball Field
A Mentor school student's summer experience shadowing our design team and making an impact on her high school for years to come.

ThenDesign Architecture has a longstanding relationship with the Mentor School District. We understand their vision for the future of education in their region and continue to support them through a variety of construction projects over sixty years. One such project was the completion of a new softball field adjacent to the Mentor high school in 2020. This was a part of a larger project in revitalizing the high school campus, in 2015.

Recognizing the need to train the next generation of architectural designers, TDA seeks to provide internships and other opportunities for students to work with us and see the challenges and opportunities presented in a design firm. Anselma Panic was a Mentor High School student and experienced the new additions developed by the school district and TDA.

Being impressed by the collaborative nature of the spaces and how they transformed her educational environment, Anselma reached out to us and inquire about additional learning opportunities. At that time, TDA was in the process of designing new softball fields for her former school and we thought it would be an excellent project for this recent graduate!

Anselma is now attending Notre Dame University to study architecture and she reflects on her first experiences in a professional design environment.

TDA: How did you come in contact with ThenDesign Architecture (TDA) and what was your initial experience like?

Anselma: TDA does a lot of work with Mentor high school, I knew they did the renovation when we were designing more modern work. So that’s how I heard about TDA and I just thought it’d be really interesting to work with them since they worked on my high school and I liked the things they did. They really made our environment much nicer. I came into contact with Angie [Staedt] and I emailed her asking if there were any senior projects and she got back to me. At the time, the only thing I really knew about, TDA was what they had done at my school. They built this thing called “The Paradigm,” [a professional development center] and “the Hub” [a renovated media center inside the high school] and it changed the whole dynamic of our high school, which I thought was really interesting. Before we always had old desks, old seating and kind of boring old classrooms, but once they started to work on my school, they utilized simple things like rolling chairs and just those made it a lot easier to be more collaborative, it changed the whole dynamic to be more collaborative. The ball field project was just beginning when I started working with TDA. They just threw that idea at me and I ran with it.

"Before we always had old desks, old seating and kind of boring old classrooms, but once they started to work on my school...it changed the whole dynamic to be more collaborative."
-Anselma Panic

TDA: Tell me about the Mentor Schools Softball Field design project you worked on. What was that project specifically and as a high school student how did you feed into the design process?

Anselma: I’ve always wanted to be an architect. Art is a passion of mine and I’m really good at math, so I felt like the two just combined for me and that’s why I wanted to study architecture, and I love ThenDesign’s work. All I knew coming into it was that I would be working on a design project and would be shadowing an architect. When I came in, I learned about this softball project for my high school. The first day, I researched what goes into a field, like the materials, necessary dimensions, and I calculated how much everything would cost. Then I started using AutoCAD for the first time to design the layout for the field. I learned to communicate with people around the office about different parts of a project. Even with something as simple as a fence–I had to talk to someone that had specialized knowledge of that! There’s a lot behind it and everything has to be considered. They gave me workspace with a computer and everything. Every once in a while, I would check in with the project architect and everyone was super friendly. It was really great. I even saw their little office dog Casey! She was always around. It was so nice.

Ryan Schmit showed me how to help design the whole project. He showed me how to do program research, and explained what went into that, as well as what the client wants to see, and how to exactly lay out the whole field. I would be at my desk and he would come around to check up on me, which was good because I was usually confused with AutoCAD. He would help me out, but I was working very independently, this was really unique. Every day I had a different focus but feel I really was able to experience the firm and work.

Ryan really encouraged me to talk to the other people who were knowledgeable about the project and I was considering their opinions while making my design. He was really helpful I learned a lot about program research.

"You have to become a master at everything in order to make the best product."
-Anselma Panic

TDA: In what ways did this experience change your perception of working in the architecture field?

Anselma: It was actually similar to the architectural studio environment at college where I am in my first year of architecture school at Notre Dame University. It was where everyone is working together, and you can always go to the person next to you and they could help you. It’s great!

I remember I was surprised with how much of the day that you just spend sitting down [laughs]. Seriously though, I really loved the office environment. Everyone at TDA was easy to talk to and were willing to discuss what they were working on. I learned a lot about the design process and drafting with AutoCAD. I was really surprised with just how much time you spend familiarizing yourself with everything that goes into a project. You have to become a master at everything in order to make the best product.

TDA: You helped with the design of this project for five days in the summer, then were off to college. What was it like returning to Mentor High School and seeing the finished project?

Anselma: I just drove past it one day and I’m like, “That’s my field.” It was a great feeling to see it all there. Before that, it was just an AutoCAD drawing and on these [cost] spreadsheets. Seeing it there, I took a bunch of pictures and said to myself: “Look at it!” It was really cool, and I felt so blessed to be a part of it and to see it come together.

"I just drove past it one day and I'm like, "That's my field."
It was a great feeling to see it all there."
-Anselma Panic

TDA is always on the lookout for talent and for those who are as passionate as we are about designing 21st century educational spaces. If you are interested in connecting to see if there are opportunities for you, please reach out to Angie Staedt at AStaedt@thendesign.com

Let’s work together to make education better. Interested in speaking with us? Get in touch!

Ryan Caswell

Ryan Caswell

Communications

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Ryan Caswell

Ryan Caswell

Ryan is a communications specialist who is passionate about using digital media to further the goals of organizations and communities in Northeast Ohio. With a background in construction and a degree in architecture, he spent over a decade in corporate video production and brings this mindset to videography, editing, photography and content marketing. He is passionate about supporting the arts, and can be found hiking in the parks system.