2020 September Alumni of the month

Why did you choose to study at UEL?
Other students I knew advised that the tutors on the course were very good and very engaged with the students, which I valued a lot.

What is your one special memory of your time at UEL?
Spending Tuesday afternoons coding. I never thought I could understand parametric design but ended up with a First in this module. Now I have a great understanding of a discipline that is our future.

What have you done since graduating from UEL?
I have worked at two architecture practices - BMJ architects and Stockwool. At BMJ my clients include UCL, Imperial College London, Kings College and Warwick University.

What is your current job role? And what does it involve?
Currently I am a project architect at Stockwool and lead a project consisting of 391 flats adjacent to Beckton Park.

How did UEL help you get to where you are now?
UEL helped me both through my architectural education - gaining conceptual and presentational skills, and through the mentoring scheme, which made me more focused on my professional life.

What advice would you give your younger self?
Trust your instincts, believe in your ideas and follow them through.

What advice would you give to UEL current students preparing to graduate?
Be proactive, ensure your CV and portfolio are well presented and remember that while you may not have experience, you have plenty of transferable skills.

Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know:
I left Bulgaria to study abroad when I was 16. I have now spent 16 years in the UK. In my time in the UK I went to 1 boarding school, 3 universities, qualified as an architect and got married.

If you were to do it all again, would you still choose UEL?
I would choose UEL, because the students are supported academically, but they are also given opportunities to meet people already working in their chosen professions.