Summer Break

As many of you already know, since we have returned from Italy, Lindsey and I have moved to Clemson for my last year of graduate school. I'm on track to graduate in May 2010 with a Master's Degree of Architecture. Why do I need a Master's Degree? In order to become a licensed architect (which is ultimately the goal of all of this), you must hold an accredited professional degree. Yes, my Bachelor's Degree was in Architecture but, being a "4+2" program, it was not an accredited professional degree (it would have had to have been a five year program for that...also, Clemson doesn't offer that option). So as the "+2" part of my education, here I am, halfway through graduate school, on summer break.

I started back at Neal Prince Architects (the firm I have been with between bouts of school since my summer internship of my Junior year of undergrad - 2005) for the summer. Before I left to get married on July 19th of last year (remember, I left a little early to go on that road trip with Brad Dalton and Travis Selman. See the pictures here: 1, 2, 3, 4), we discussed me coming back for the summer after my first year of grad school. That was before the economy bottomed out. After initially thinking they would only be able to provide me with a part-time position (due to industry-wide lack of work), they landed a commission with Converse College for a new dormitory. It was slated to start up as soon as I got back from Europe; perfect timing. So this summer, I have been working in downtown Greenville on a fun project (which is thankfully in Revit and NOT AutoCAD) and spending some quality time with Lindsey at our first version of a home-home (aka- something longer than a 4 month lease).

We are having a blast and feel continually blessed, even with the country (and world) in this current economic state. 

Hopefully, after I get some of my side projects finished (I'm designing a web page for a friend, and painting some canvases for decoration in our apartment), I can get back around to processing the rest of my pictures from Europe (I still have 5 more countries to go!). Until, then, consider yourselves updated.