Andrew Castilleja said professionals evaluated student work, which came straight from architecture classes, and gave advice. Some also signed students up for interviews later in the afternoon.
Samantha Pollmiller, a Denver architect and Texas Tech alumna, returns to her alma mater every year to share advice with students entering a competitive industry. Her message was simple. "They're not going to seek you out, but if you seek them out, it shows initiative," she said.
Allison Akin, a third-year landscape architecture student who helped plan the event, named urban planning studio as her favorite class. Her group worked on Broadway, a historical site in Lubbock, and interviewed people who use it. "Getting to work on something that you can actually go visit and see was really nice," she said.
The event paid off for Akin personally. It led to an internship this past summer, which helped her explore where she wants to settle after graduation. For students, a class project becomes a conversation starter with working architects.