2020 Graduate Highlight: Monica Magcalas
Georgia Institute of Technology Master of Architecture (2018-2020)
Clemson University Bachelor of Arts in Architecture (2011-2015)
Finding your “why” will remind you about the reason for which your efforts are worth it. Once you find your “why,” write it down or put it in your phone. Do something to remind yourself of the worth of your reasoning when times are tough.
Keep going, don’t stop, and find your “why.”
What inspired you to pursue a graduate degree?
My Dad inspired me to pursue my graduate degree. Before starting my senior year at Clemson, I found out that my dad had been diagnosed with stage four cancer. From that moment, I found the motivation to share key milestones with my Dad. I called him when I received my first job offer before graduation because I knew how hard he worked. I wanted to show my appreciation for all that my dad and mom sacrificed for me to go to college. Second, he was able to attend my graduation when the nurses told him that he couldn’t leave the ICU. It was that summer of 2015 and he asked me how long it would take to get my masters. After I told him, I saw in his eyes the determination to keep fighting and get better. Unfortunately, he past away three months after I graduated and life kicked in on top of everything else. I remember placing a post it note with “Atlanta and Georgia Tech,” in my closet to remind myself everyday that my Dad would be the motivation to get my graduate degree.
What experiences in your professional career (post-undergrad) defined how you maneuver through the profession?
Through my father's passing, I found my "why." Relationships have stood out from my post-undergrad experience that has defined how I maneuver through the profession today. My father's passing has taught me about perspective to take something negative and turning it into a positive. I allowed my dad’s passing to fuel me to get accepted to Georgia Tech & it defined my "why." The profession has it’s highs and lows so I needed to find in my core how I was going to get over the lows.
Second, my mother re-built my grandparents' home in the Philippines and she would be so frustrated because we were here in the states & could not manage the project back home. I realized that after I graduated my "why" was beyond my interest in architecture and that I would one day want to give my mother a chance to enjoy the design process of a home.
The third experience is when I graduated undergrad. I worked for three years before I went to graduate school. I observed that relationships while practicing architecture are the key to maneuvering the profession. I quickly learned that you’ve got to listen, understand, follow-through, ask questions, manage expectations, and step up when it is difficult. These are a few of the characteristics of building trust in creating a solid relationship. Having relationships can get future projects, future clients, future jobs, and the list goes on.
What are your plans post graduation?
My plan post-graduation is to be a sponge. One thing I know about myself is that I am coachable and I want to keep learning. I have invested in graduate school and I know that the learning does not stop there.
Has COVID -19 affected your plans?
COVID-19 has affected my focus, but I had to quickly change my perspective about this unprecedented time. I cannot lose focus on my dream to become an architect, and I must take care of myself physically and mentally. I am grateful that the company I worked for part-time while in graduate school has hired me to be a full-time employee.
