I am writing in reference to your Editorial Internship opportunity. I am a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a major in Urban Studies and a double minor in Architectural History and English. My ultimate goal is to pursue architectural journalism and criticism, and working at Archinect would offer me insight into how an architecture and design resource such as your own operates and advocates for the design community. An internship at Archinect would not only allow me to contribute to this meaningful conversation, but also to dedicate my professional skills and experiences to your site.
Over the past four years I have developed an extensive background in research and writing, with a particular focus on the historical and contemporary architecture of urban communities. My experience with independent research began in my sophomore year, during which time architectural historian Dr. George Thomas recruited my help to conduct an institutional study of the Franklin Institute. In the summer of my sophomore year I conducted a paid research project on behalf of Professor Thomas, looking at nineteenth century architectural periodicals and their reception of Philadelphia architecture. Throughout my time at Penn I examined numerous other research topics including the Neoclassical architecture of Philadelphia, the built environment of immigrant enclaves, “wayfinding” technology, architectural theory, as well as the work of Berthold Lubetkin, Erno Goldfinger, Frank Furness, and Bernard Maybeck. My thesis, for which I was awarded Honors, examined an early housing development designed by Louis I. Kahn.
Working at Scenic Philadelphia, a non-profit dedicated to public space aesthetics, I developed my communication and project management skills by providing administrative, writing, and managerial support. During my internship I managed the donor database, composed outreach letters, newsletters, web updates, as well as press releases. I accommodated general office matters, responded to inquiries, and worked alongside staff members to develop new and ongoing projects. I also had primary responsibility for a pilot educational program in which I created and managed a curriculum for local high school students focused on the built environment.
