Ponte Vedra-based architectural firm Powers Design recently teamed with Allen D. Nease High School to participate in its student internship program, which was designed to assist students in determining a college major and to help them focus on career options after graduation.
The brainchild of Hannah Hawkins, a senior at Nease enrolled in the school’s International Baccalaureate Program (IBP), the mini-internship program allows junior and seniors to meet with professionals in their particular fields of interest in order to gain a better understanding of the profession, along with the skills and educated needed to succeed in that field. Hawkins formed the program with the assistance of guidance counselor Aletha Dresback.
“For most high school students, the two most significant decisions that they face are choosing a college major and selecting the specific college to attend. One way to help this decision-making process for the students is to provide them the opportunity to experience different job situations firsthand,” said Hawkins.
“With the knowledge they will obtain from experiencing real life careers, the students will have better insight into choosing a major.”
Powers Design’s Shane Dankworth, senior project manager, and Ennis Davis, director of land planning, recently met with four students who are part of the school’s International Baccalaureate Program: juniors
Daniela Daswatta, Amy Gruhn and Rachel Edwards and senior Jeff Sands, all of whom are interested in pursuing a career in architecture and land planning.
The students were introduced to a variety Powers Design’s projects, including mixed-use, commercial, residential, planning, landscape architecture and graphic projects. The students met each member of the firm to learn about their roles and job responsibilities. In turn, each student was given the opportunity to ask questions about the design process, the client-architect relationship, and how they relate to one another.
“This program is an excellent way for young students to experience firsthand what the field of architecture is like, as well as gaining a clear understanding of what will be expected of them as they work toward this goal and their architectural degree,” said Dankworth. “It is very encouraging to see programs that help students with this process and to meet students who are genuinely interested in the field of architecture and what we are doing here at Powers Design.”
The students will meet with Powers Design members on an ongoing basis, with firm members serving as mentors for decisions regarding colleges and courses of study.