BLINN ALUMNA HONORED AT A&M ARCHITECTURE COMPETITION

  

A Blinn College alumna’s eye for contemporary design with practical applications impressed a distinguished panel of jurors at a recent Texas A&M University architecture competition.

Nathanielle Sybico, a Blinn Architecture Program alumna and recent Texas A&M University Master of Architecture graduate, earned best-of-show honors at the Texas A&M College of Architecture’s sixth annual Celebration of Excellence for her innovative Japanese subway station design. Drawing upon her experiences from a summer abroad in Fukuoka, Japan, Sybico’s five-story Kaizuka Subway Station utilizes the biological elements of osmosis and semipermeable membranes to facilitate the flow of travelers in and out of the station.

“I wanted explore how architecture helps move people through spaces,” Sybico said. “I was inspired by the various sights I experienced during my three-week trip in Japan, especially the modes of transportation that differ from those in the United States. I wanted to incorporate those unique elements into my design.”

In addition to earning the Celebration’s top honor, Sybico also was presented with the Alpha Rho Chi Bronze Medal for her commitment to leadership, accomplishment, service, and professional merit. Alpha Rho Chi, a national professional fraternity for architecture and the allied arts, allows faculty to annually select a graduating senior they feel best exemplifies these qualities to be the recipient of its coveted award.

Sybico’s award-winning presentation – which also doubled as her master’s thesis project – caps off a successful educational career that dates back to her enrollment in Blinn’s Architecture Program.

From 2010-12, Sybico participated in the Texas A&M-Blinn Transfer Enrollment at A&M (TEAM) Program, a collaborative, co-enrollment partnership between Texas A&M and Blinn. Students selected for the TEAM Program co-enroll in courses at Texas A&M and the Blinn-Bryan Campus, allowing them to enjoy the benefits of a university and community college experience.

“Being a part of the TEAM Program was the best option I could have made, because it allowed me to better transition into higher education,” Sybico said. “I appreciated the small class sizes and affordable tuition Blinn offered. After two years, I was fully prepared to make the transition to attending a university full-time.”

While at Blinn, Sybico began her path toward becoming an architect by taking introductory architecture courses in Blinn’s Architecture Program.

Blinn architecture courses cover architectural drawing, computer-aided drafting, architecture materials and construction, environmental technology, building construction plans, and building construction law, among other topics.

“I taught Nathanielle in Architectural Design I and Architectural Graphics I, and I could tell she was highly gifted,” said Craig Jeffrey, Assistant Dean for the Division of Visual/Performing Arts & Kinesiology. “She was the top student in my classes, compelling her peers to raise their standards to her level. Her recent best-of-show honor is very impressive and well-deserved.”

Graduates of Blinn’s Architecture Program may work with a contractor as part of the administrative team in entry-level positions that lead to more advanced jobs such as estimator, job coordinator, or project manager. Program graduates are also qualified for positions in land and project development, technical sales jobs focusing on building materials, systems, and equipment, or positions with government agencies or financial institutions.

Blinn’s Associate of Arts Degree in architecture also offers a wealth of academic transfer opportunities. Blinn has an architecture transfer agreement with Texas Tech University, as well as landscape architecture and urban planning transfer agreements with Texas A&M University that allow students a seamless transition in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree. Blinn architecture students have transferred to Texas A&M, the University of Texas-Arlington, Texas Tech, the University of Texas-San Antonio, Sam Houston State, the University of Houston, Boston Architectural College, Baylor University, West Virginia University, Texas State University, and the Savannah College of Art and Design.

In August, Sybico will begin her career with Dallas-based HKS, Inc., an international architecture firm whose notable projects include AT&T Stadium in Arlington and the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

“My advice to incoming students is to slow down and appreciate the benefits Blinn offers,” Sybico said. “If you put in the work and do your best, you will achieve your goals.”

For more information regarding Blinn’s Architecture Program, visit: www.blinn.edu/vpa/architecture.html.