Posted on June 30, 2024
Post categories: Alumni & Industry Architecture Landscape Architecture Students
Bernadette Labuguen graduated from the College of Built Environments (CBE) Master of Architecture program in June 2024. In 2023, she was paired with mentor Keith Hayes, Principal Architect at Barker Rinker Seacat (BRS) Architecture in Denver, Colorado. Hayes graduated from UW with a Master of Architecture degree in 1990, and has been working with BRS for 29 years.
Labuguen knew that having a mentor would be integral to her success. “Participating in the mentorship program last year played a key role in my growth as a designer, and this year has been just as impactful,” she said. “Having Keith as my mentor during my final year has been a blessing. When I needed help deciding between different architecture career paths, he shared his experiences and introduced me to firms that aligned with my curiosity and goals. I always walked away from our meetings with answers to questions I didn’t know I needed to ask.”
Hayes applied to be a mentor because he wanted to give back to the CBE community and connect with younger architects. For Labuguen, he offered assistance in many facets of her professional development: reviewing her resume and portfolio, showing her around a job site, advising her on a research career, and critiquing her thesis defense. By the time Labuguen graduated, Hayes was a consultant on her thesis project, and he’d invited other professionals to act as role models for her burgeoning career.
Students lead the mentor/mentee relationship by initiating contact and developing strategic goals for the relationship. Hayes wanted Bernadette to direct their discussions so he didn’t impose his own ideas on her situation. Labuguen took his advice to heart.
“Right off the bat, I knew I needed to be myself, because I didn’t want to be afraid to ask my mentor questions,” she explained. “I wanted to bring the challenges I was facing to the relationship. And gaining Keith’s insight gave me confidence now that I’m transitioning to a professional career.”
“I’m really proud of Bernadette,” Hayes remarked. “She’s managed a lot of challenges. I think she’s going to be a great architect and create some diversity in the profession. We’re going to have a better built environment because of her.”
“You need a mentor,” said Labuguen. “You might think you can get over all these hurdles on your own, but there are some lessons you don’t have to learn the hard way because someone’s already paved the way for you.”
For more details, visit our Mentorship Program webpage or reach out to us at cbementor@uw.edu.