SmithGroup Exploring Post
For over 40 years our Detroit office has run an Exploring Post program that provides high school students with the opportunity to "explore" the architectural and engineering professions while participating in hands-on activities alongside professional architects and engineers within SmithGroup. Through workshop meetings at our office in the Guardian Building, the Exploring Post Program enhances the participants’ enthusiasm and passion in their field of interest and encourages the career awareness required for their success as they advance to college.
We have an exciting program planned and invite interested students to participate! Anyone is free to join at any time within the program year. See our schedule for future workshop dates.
High school seniors heading into an architectural or engineering degree program who have outstanding attendance for all the workshops are eligible for the SmithGroup Exploring Post Scholarship. More information about this will be announced in the workshops.
Are you an instructor or administrator hoping to bring Exploring Post content to your school or program? If you would like a printable flyer to share with your students, please consider sharing this document.
FALL WORKSHOPS
There are currently four Exploring Post workshops planned for the Fall of 2024, hosted by experienced SmithGroup professionals, covering the basics of architecture and engineering. Among the topics of discussion include daily workflow, expectations, collaboration, and design challenges. The Introduction to Architecture workshop will feature an overview of Architecture, Interior Design, Planning, Building Technology, and Site Design, while the Introduction to Engineering workshop will feature content relating to Civil, Structural, Electrical, Mechanical, and Plumbing Engineering.
The third workshop, the College Information Session, hopes to provide valuable insight to students as they decide which college or university to attend to advance their education. Representatives from universities will speak about their architecture and engineering program offerings, as well as about career preparation and planning opportunities for those heading into the building design profession.
The Sustainability in Design workshop will introduce participants to some of the tough but necessary questions that building designers and strategists must answer in light of changing climates and will help set the stage for the Spring 2025 workshops.
If you are unable to make it to any of the fall workshops, recorded content from past years is available for viewing below. Viewing the recordings does not count towards attendance for seniors interested in the scholarship, but they are valuable resources and context for the spring workshops.
SPRING WORKSHOPS
The spring season will continue with our traditional hands-on workshops in the SmithGroup Detroit office and will dive into greater detail about the architecture and engineering disciplines at SmithGroup. They will feature discussions about tools of the trade, developing technologies, design coordination, construction, and much more!
Dates for these workshops will be announced in 2025.
COLLEGE INFORMATION SESSION
RECORDED
September 27, 2023
UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT MERCY
https://www.udmercy.edu/
Dan Pitera, piteradw [at] udmercy.edu
James Lynch, lynchjj [at] udmercy.edu
LAWRENCE TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
https://www.ltu.edu/
Eric Ward, eward [at] ltu.edu
Keith Kowalkowski, kkowalkow [at] ltu.edu
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
https://umich.edu/
Christopher Tremblay, cwtrem [at] umich.edu
Erin Sauers, erinjs [at] umich.edu
Madison Schell, madisone [at] umich.edu
INTRODUCTION TO ARCHITECTURE
RECORDED
NOVEMBER 19, 2020
6PM - 7PM
ARCHITECTURE
Abi Aragon, abi.aragon [at] smithgroup.com
Bryan Seef, bryan.seef [at] smithgroup.com
INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING
RECORDED
DECEMBER 3, 2020
6PM - 8PM
CIVIL ENGINEERING
Kelli O'Brien, kelli.obrien [at] smithgroup.com
Anna Strong, anna.strong [at] smithgroup.com
Steven Thomas, steven.thomas [at] smithgroup.com
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
Susie Chung, susie.chung [at] smithgroup.com
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Kevin Hertig, kevin.hertig [at] smithgroup.com
Rizka Aprilia, rizka.aprilia [at] smithgroup.com
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
Robert Melton, robert.melton [at] smithgroup.com
LIGHTING DESIGN
Maggie Hilgenkamp, maggie.hilgenkamp [at] smithgroup.com
Maria Del Castillo Berrio, maria.delcastillo [at] smithgroup.com
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