Polina Ilyin

This summer, I interned in Boston for architecture firm Page, which has now been acquired by Stantec. I worked full-time with a small project team but also with the rest of the office in person as well as other offices digitally. Most of my work centered around one project, which is an upcoming renovation project for Brown University, updating their design engineering building. This project was in its design drawing phase during the bulk time of my experience, which allowed me to assist in tasks such as making interior drawings, deciding furniture layouts, creating renderings for clients, and generally making critical design decisions to push this project towards its construction phase. Additionally, I joined Page’s research team with their ongoing investigation on furniture made using prison labor, and took part in their high school intern program, where I helped highschoolers learn design software that is used in architecture school. I most enjoyed working with such a diverse and welcoming team, who really pushed me to grow as a professional.

It was my first time working for a slightly larger-scale office, and was not expecting the sense of community I was able to achieve during the course of my internship. Everyone, regardless if I worked directly with them or not, welcomed me warmly into the team. I was able to form unexpected connections and even played baseball with some of my coworkers against other architecture/engineering firms.

This experience is integral to my development as a professional on my path to becoming a licensed architect in the future. I was able to work on multiple unique tasks within the discipline, immersing myself in target areas such as project and practice development, schematic design, and visiting construction sites: all vital to fulfill requirements on my path for licensure. I also participated in many meetings with people in different positions, different companies, and clients, all of which helped me better develop my communication and presentation skills.

To further this experience, I am anticipating Page’s research team to publish a white paper on the investigative analysis we did, where I will get to see evidence of my contributions in a publication. This experience has ignited my interest in the theme of high education architecture, and I plan to pursue job opportunities that present potential for similar work.

Receiving funding from honors was integral to support me working in Boston, a city I have never even visited before. The award allowed me to feel confident to seek internships outside of my home state and work with a great company that I may have not otherwise been able to access. I used the scholarship to assist my housing costs.