The College

Alumni Society of the year

The College of Design Alumni Society, with more than 1,600 members, was recognized by the University of Minnesota Alumni Association (UMAA) as the Alumni Society of the Year on October 29, 2008. The society's alumni board enjoys a unique relationship with the collegiate student board. Together, student and alumni members design opportunities that enhance the student experience by supporting the transition from college to career. Programs include the college mentor program, employer and site tours, sponsorship of an annual career fair with CDes Student Services, and other activities that connect design alumni and professionals with current and prospective students. Alumni society membership helps fund these opportunities for students. For more information, go to the alumni section of the college Web site.

UMAA president Bruce Mooty (far left) and U of M vice president for alumni relations Margaret Carlson (far right) present the Alumni Society of the Year Award to 2007 and 2008 Design Alumni Society presidents Nick Sperides (BArch '83) and Janice Linster (BS Interior Design '83), and College of Design dean Tom Fisher (second from right) at the McNamara Alumni Center.

Connect with design alumni through LinkedIn

The College of Design now has a group on LinkedIn--a business-oriented networking site used primarily for professional connections among college alumni, faculty, students, and friends. If you're already a LinkedIn member, join our global network of alumni and friends.

If you are not a LinkedIn member yet, go to the LinkedIn Web site to get started. Questions? Contact Lori Mollberg, lmollber@umn.edu.

Architecture, Interior Design, and Landscape Architecture Career and Networking Fair

March 5, 2009, 6-9 p.m., on campus at Coffman Memorial Union, Great Hall (ground floor)

Last year more 225 students, 30 recent grads, and 41 employers from across the country attended this annual career and networking fair. To learn more about the career fair or to participate as an employer or job seeker, go to the Current Students section of the college Web site.

The fair is sponsored by Student Services, the Design Student and Alumni Board, Alumni Relations, and the St. Paul Campus Career Center.

Architecture and Landscape Architecture alumni survey highlights

Thank you to the 411 architecture and 202 landscape architecture alumni who completed our online survey between July and October 2008. More than 80 respondents also provided career news and updates, which we have posted on the college blog, CDes Memo. You can also view survey summary reports online.

Survey highlights	Architecture	Landscape Architecture
Grad year range of survey respondents	1945-2008	1970-2008
Are or have been employed in their field of study	93.3%	94.4%
Are or have been self-employed/business owner	39.8%	43.9%
Top specialty area	59.6% commercial	60.8% public
Gross annual compensation $50,000+	71.2%	75.4%
Professional licensure	58.7% licensed architect (passed ARE), 28.2% in process	65.2% licensed landscape architect (passed LARE), 18.2% in process
LEED certified	28.3% passed, 45.4% in process	17.9% passed, 43.3% in process
Other certifications or licensures	20% certified interior designer (CID)	7.5% licensed planners (AICP)
Satisfied or very satisfied with employment	81.4%	80.3%
Professional membership	84.8% members of AIA	83.5% members of ASLA
Employed before graduation	43.4%	38.4%

Design Student and Alumni Board members 2008-09

Student and Alumni Board members 2008-09

Back row: Alumni president-elect Justin Bieganek (BS Design and Studio Arts '97), Kaitlin Scopoline (housing studies student), Matt Wilkens (BED Environmental Design '98), Tatum (Rezin) Marinkovich (BS Retail '99, MBA '05), Meg Parsons (MArch '06), Cindy Lehner-Smith (Interior Design student, BS Applied Design '85), James Thompson, (architecture graduate student), Erin Stromgren (architecture student), Emily Shively (landscape architecture and urban planning graduate student). Front row: Alumni president Janice Linster (BS Interior Design '83), Anne Okerman Gardner (MLA '02), student vice president Carol Berger (clothing design student), Lucy Reile (coordinator, College-to-Career programs), Alyssa Wilcox (BS Graphic Design '03), Nicole Shupien (pre-graphic design student), Lori Mollberg (director, Alumni Relations), Paul Boerum (BS Housing Studies '05), Kate Maple (assistant dean, Student Services), student president Lloyd Clausen (retail student). Not pictured: Nick Sperides (BArch '83), Lois Cutler (BS '93, MS '96, PhD Housing Studies '97), Ann Van Bellinger (BS Clothing Design '90), Amanda Lange (graphic design student) Alicia Paulsen (BS Retail Merchandising '01), Danielle Shadd (retail student), A. J. Paron-Wildes (BS Interior Design '95), Nancy Binger (interior design student), UMAA national board representative John Cuningham (BArch '62).

Honoring Margot Siegel, Friends of the Goldstein founder

Margot Siegel (BS Journalism '44), former freelance writer and co-owner of the public relations firm Siegel-Hogan Enterprises (SHE), was recognized with the University of Minnesota Alumni Service Award on October 29, 2008, for her visionary leadership in support of the Goldstein Museum of Design. Siegel founded the Friends of the Goldstein in 1978 to enhance the museum's visibility, foster community and financial support, encourage volunteerism, and contribute to the museum's service and outreach mission. A lifetime board member and passionate advocate, Siegel has played an active role with the friends organization for more than 30 years. She helped build the museum's apparel collection with an exceptional group of more than 700 designer garments, facilitated many beneficial connections, and has served as a driving force for the advancement of the Goldstein, which has grown from a departmental to collegiate museum with a collection of more than 28,000 objects and a national reputation as the Upper Midwest's only design museum. Siegel currently serves on the College of Design Advisory Board and is the inspiration for the upcoming July 2009 Goldstein exhibition, "Intersections: Where Art and Fashion Meet."

College of Design mentor program

Environmental design student Ashley Rolffs with mentor Paul Schroeder, senior project manager for Westwood

LA/BED students Dana Mortenson and Zachary Carlton

John VanBellinger, senior fashion art director, Target Corp., studied design communication at CDes from 1989 to 1995 This fall, 210 students were matched with mentors in their field for a six-month mentoring experience. The program began with an orientation workshop on October 28, 2008, at the McNamara Alumni Center where many participants met their mentoring partners for the first time. Thanks to the mentor and student participants and our mentor program matching committee volunteers for their help in making this program a success. Visit our program Web site for a list of 2008-09 mentors and volunteers.