Gabriela Alvergue ’13: Hutchison Helped Kickstart My Education in Architecture

How did your interests in architecture and design form?

I was first introduced to architecture and design in high school, and I grew up with art around me. My mom, sister, and I would take on new art projects from painting to making clothes, paper mâché, and sculptures. We were always making something. That led me to take a lot of art classes in high school with the best teachers, including Jeanette Leake and Anne Davey! I learned so much from them. I was then introduced to a high school summer program at Savannah College of Art and Design. I had to choose two classes to take, and being part of a family with a technical background (for example, finance and insurance), I wanted to take an academic/major-focused class (an intro to architecture) and an art-focused class (drawing) while I was there. That’s where it all started.

I loved it so much that I went back to SCAD for college and studied architecture and interiors. It was perfect for me because architecture is so versatile. I also loved collaborating with other majors like fashion, advertising, and industrial design. When looking at career opportunities later, my diverse art school background is one of the biggest reasons I chose Gensler for its cross-disciplinary focus on design. 

What is a typical day for you and what professional skills do you use most often?

In architecture and interiors, there often is no typical day. That’s why I love it. One day can be spent designing 3-4 options for a building entry and presenting it to the client and then drafting unit plans for a residential tower. The next day may be on-site checking in on construction progress. I enjoy how versatile the field is. On any given day, we use design, business and finance skills, public engagement, technical skills like math and physics, and everything in between.

How did your Hutchison experience help you get to where you are today?

Hutchison helped me kickstart my college education. I took a few language and AP art classes at Hutchison; starting at SCAD, I had already completed a lot of the general education classes. Because of this, I was able to jump to my major right away and had time to minor in interiors, take a few graphic design classes, and sharpen my design skills. Beyond school, Hutchison helped me craft my public speaking, writing, and language skills that I use often today.

You recently spoke to Hutchison’s myExperience students during their cohort trip to Chicago. What was it like to speak to current students about your career?

Amazing! I wish I had that experience when I was at Hutchison. Art and design come in various forms and career paths, and I’m glad I could introduce the students to a career in architecture and design while learning about their interests. I love being connected with Hutchison beyond graduation and helping to grow our network across the country.

What advice would you give to someone interested in your field?

I would encourage perseverance, fearlessness, and passion. There are many paths in architecture, and being passionate and inspired about what I wanted to explore and work on was essential to me. Being unafraid to fail, say the wrong thing, or ask too many questions is incredibly important, as is learning and growing from failure.

Gabriela Alvergue ’13 is an associate and technical designer for Gensler, a global architecture, design, and planning firm, in Chicago. She also co-leads Gensler's North Central Internship Program. She received her bachelor’s degree in architecture from Savannah College of Art and Design and a master’s degree with distinction from the University of Michigan.