Source: Susanne Siepl-Coates, 785-532-1122, scoates@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Diane Potts, 785-532-6415, potts@k-state.edu
Thursday, May 7, 2009
K-STATE ARCHITECTURE STUDENT RECEIVES TRADEWELL FELLOWSHIP
MANHATTAN -- Kansas State University's Kelly Egdorf, a fifth-year architecture student from Chaska, Minn., has been selected to receive the prestigious 2009-2010 Tradewell Fellowship.
Sponsored by the Houston-based firm Watkins Hamilton Ross Architects, the fellowship was created in 1997 to build the careers of aspiring health care architects. The fellowship includes employment for one year at Watkins Hamilton Ross Architects, during which the fellow works directly with senior medical planners to develop the skills and expertise needed to become a leader in the field. The Tradewell Fellow is involved with clients in early master planning and design, with a particular focus on healing environments and collaborative design methods.
To earn the fellowship, Egdorf competed nationally against students from other accredited schools of architecture, including master’s and doctoral students from schools with health care-focused programs.
"Academics can only prepare a future professional to a certain level," Egdorf said. "Hands-on experiences can challenge an individual at personal and professional levels. The Tradewell Fellowship can offer me an invaluable apprenticeship which will provide numerous opportunities to examine personal and professional strengths and weaknesses, as well as hopes and desires."
Egdorf was inspired to choose a career in human-centered design because of a personal hospital experience while she was in high school.
As part of the application requirements, Egdorf submitted work she completed in a fifth-year studio under the guidance of Susanne Siepl-Coates, K-State professor of architecture. For the project, which focused on the study of a hospice house as a healing environment, she created "Green Re:inserted: the Role of Nature in the Design of an In-Patient Hospice Room."
The fellowship also allows Egdorf to attend a national health care conference and select a research project related to the design of healing environments with the goal of publishing her work. Continued employment may also be offered at the end of the fellowship year.
Egdorf is a candidate to receive her master's degree in architecture from K-State in May. She has completed an academic internship at Stock & Associates in Seattle, Wash., and also has worked at Black and Veatch Corporation in Kansas City. In addition, she is an honors and scholarship student, a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design -- or LEED -- accredited professional, and is an active member in the American Institute of Architecture Students. She also served as a College of Architecture Planning and Design ambassador and mentor and has contributed to K-State's Students for Environmental Action. She is the second K-State architecture student to be selected for the Tradewell Fellowship.
