Woodbury alumna Crystal Tan (M.Arch ’15) was recently selected for a 2018 Asian American Architects and Engineers Association Scholarship Award at the 41st annual Awards Banquet. Each year, the Asian-American Architects and Engineers Foundation offers scholarships to full-time students pursuing a career in the AEC Industry (architecture, engineering, construction, etc.), who have demonstrated a measurable level of involvement/ service to the Asian-Pacific Islander community, and are a student member of AAa/e.
Crystal acknowledged how the AAa/e’s support has shaped her career, stating that, “The generosity and support of the AAa/e community has given me clarity to focus on my career goals as an aspiring architect instead of worrying about student loans. I am so grateful and honored to be selected as the awardee for the Student Loan Grant, it has helped me immensely. I am proud to be part of the AAa/e organization and look forward to giving back to the community.”
Dean Ingalill Wahlroos-Ritter touched on Crystal’s continued support of Woodbury students through NAC Architecture. “I am so pleased that AAa/e has honored Woodbury School of Architecture alumna Crystal Tan (MArch ’15) with a student loan scholarship. Excitingly, Crystal has continued her involvement with WSoA students, most recently co-hosting a summer studio with Woodbury architecture students at the office of NAC where she currently works. The focus for the studio was a school for homeless youth in Los Angeles, and Woodbury students spent the summer studying in the offices of NAC, coordinated by faculty member Michael Pinto and co-hosted by alumna Laura Kazmierczak (MArch ’16). An inspiring student who continues to have a positive effect on her community, Crystal is truly deserving of this honor.”
Crystal’s time at Woodbury shaped both her thinking and the way she makes. “The Woodbury SoA opened my mind to a way of creative thinking and making that has made me who I am as a designer today,” she said. “I have the skills to see design problems in different perspectives and I am able to visual solutions that are out of the ordinary. I’m not afraid of the unknown, the uncomfortable or the controversial, confident in my abilities to embrace, provoke, and raise questions. I learned to trust the design process with the experimentation of different methodologies. The making culture at Woodbury was always inspiring. I also learned to never forget to use your hands and make, because I feel that’s what grounds you as a designer.”
On Thursday, October 4, the Millenium Biltmore hotel hosted the AAa/e gala. Embodying the theme, “Empowering the Leaders of Tomorrow” agency leaders, owners, sponsors, elected officials, and AAa/e members and scholarship recipients celebrated the AAa/e 41st Annual Awards. The AAa/e is committed to providing a platform for empowering professionals working in the built environment in personal and professional growth, business development and networking, and community leadership.