Faces of ENVD | Maggie Brown
Maggie brings so much contagious inspiration, passion, and energy to ENVD.
–C³ó±ô´Ç±ð
I love that we created an environment where we can lean on each other on the tough days and celebrate the successes as well.
What year are you at CU?
I am transferring from Engineering into ENVD, and this is my first semester, so I haven’t decided which major I want to pursue but I’m hoping to either get further into architecture and product design.
Where are you from?
Washington D.C.
What inspired you to come to ENVD?
I was in engineering before this semester and my two roommates transferred to ENVD last spring. I saw the dedication that their class brought to each assignment and got to see firsthand how these projects could become so beneficial as the steppingstones to creating monumental projects that can change the world. It inspired me as I wanted to be in a more intrinsic, hands-on environment and felt that this program provided just that.
Describe a typical studio day for you.
I have afternoon studio, so I usually go in a tad bit early or have a nice walk as a break between my classes to prep for my studio. After entering the ENVD building you are greeted by the kind, and loving Angela, who works in the front office but cares for everyone so deeply, so I think of her as the ENVD mom, so I usually chat with her each time I come in. Studio, especially as a transfer is a fast-paced and hard-working environment so you get acquainted with everyone in your class quickly. I specifically wanted to be in the transfer program as people usually transfer in because they're passionate about the course material so the energy each class period is exciting as everyone truly seems like they are excited to be there. We’ve genuinely grown into a family-type relationship with each other so joining each class has a lot of familiarity and trust within it.
Each class period we join and set the expectations for the class period and have a lesson on what specific elements of the project were working on at the time, then we either do desk critiques or get straight to work. We work individually or break into small groups and continue to develop each prototype until pinups. The real studio begins after class when we all work deep into the night on our projects, sometimes till morning as each of us tends to side of working till a so-called perfection in our brains. It can be hard to put a project down, so we basically run of caffeine and dreams.
What has been one of your favorite memories so far, this academic year/or throughout your time at ENVD?
I loved when we went to the Denver Art Museum as a class a few weeks ago, we got to explore the city and spend some quality time outside of the studio. But one of my favorite memories was during our EPOD studio when we were working on our assignment 2 and doing our object sketches. This was one of the first times the class really bonded, and many stayed until after sunrise. We danced, sang, listened to music and worked hard. It really set the scene and the classes intention for the semester.
If you could say or share anything to all your ENVD peers, students and friends, what would you say?
That you all are the best, even on our hard days, the bonds that I share with you all genuinely bring me up on my lowest days. I love that we created an environment where we can lean on each other on the tough days and celebrate the successes as well. A word of advice, we need to learn how to manage time so that we don’t loose too much sleep:) ps. We also need a good espresso machine in Stu as well!
What’s your go-to activity during spring months?
I love going for walks! When you move, it brings oxygen to the brain and allows your clouded thoughts to clear and sustain a better mentality. I also love soaking in the sun and going to the creek when it's super nice. On a sweet afternoon sometimes, I love to go for a drive up Flagstaff and have a little picnic on the mountains.