Laura Boyle 09

The recipient of a 2009 Outstanding Co-op Award is Laura Boyle

CO-OP ASSIGNMENTS:Laura Boyle is a student who constantly seeks unique opportunities in her field. Laura's first co-op was with Elkus Manfredi Architects, a large Boston firm that specializes in large scale mixed use projects. Elkus seldom hires anyone without previous firm experience, but Laura was able to get an interview and impressed the hiring manager enough that they made an exception for her. She worked on design development in a large mixed-use project in Phoenix, design development for renovations to a professional sports arena and did schematic design for a residential project in Massachusetts.

WORKING ABROAD:Laura studied abroad in Italy for a semester, and decided she wanted to return to Europe for her second co-op. She ultimately chose to work at Burrell Foley Fischer in London, a medium-sized firm specializing in performing arts use buildings. She was drawn to this particular firm because of her background in Ballet, in which she was trained for 9 years. At BFF, Laura assisted in the design of two buildings, a new dance studio and performance theatre, and the complete renovation of the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield England. As a former dancer, Laura was able to enhance the detail of the original design, contributing her extensive knowledge of dance to help shape the final design.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE:For her third co-op, Laura wanted another international experience, but one focused on helping less fortunate people. Laura networked with the architectural community and found a non-profit organization in Brazil that removes children from the street and educates them in the arts. She volunteered and worked in an unpaid assignment for six months. She learned Portuguese from the natives and while there helped build new classroom space. She not only contributed to the building plans but did construction work for six hours a day. In her spare time she also participated along side the locals in art classes, and traveled with a professor around Brazil to teach graffiti classes in the local schools.

LEADERSHIP:Laura is a Dean's Honor Roll Scholar, and because of her remarkable design skills, she was also asked to become a research assistant and took on a leadership role in organizing and managing the other researchers on a project involving cataloguing and modeling house types from a suburban development in the 1950s.

FUTURE PLANS:Laura will be attending RISD in the fall to pursue her MArch Degree, while also working with another Northeastern Alum to create a non-profit community arts center in New York, called The One Line Project.