Mary Stiger is a designer at JacobsWyper Architects. She collaborates with architects, designers, and consultants to deliver successful projects. And she has taught CAD for Drafting for Moore's Continuing Education program.
Stiger believes that architecture has the opportunity to catalyze change—whether that is for a specific population, or within an organization, residential block, neighborhood or a city. She has worked on a wide range of projects, from behavioral health facilities and manufacturing labs to workplaces and single-family homes.
Stiger is a LEED Green Associate, and incorporates sustainability principles into both her professional projects and her day-to-day life. She holds a BS in architecture from Kent State University and a master's degree in architecture from Temple University. She talked with Meg Wolensky, Continuing Education program manager.
Who are you as a professional in your field?
I am a multidisciplinary design professional, with skills ranging from hand-drafting to modeling for virtual reality. My educational and professional background is in architecture, enriched by leadership experiences at Kent State University and volunteer work with the Alpha Rho Chi fraternity.
What brought you to Philadelphia?
I moved to Philadelphia in 2016 to pursue my master's degree in architecture at Temple University.
What have you been feeling inspired by?
Biophilic design, which is incorporating more living things into built spaces to increase connectivity to nature. We often talk about the "natural environment" and "built environment" as though they're different things, but in reality there is just one environment. How can we bring together the built and natural aspects of it?
What's your biggest creative career achievement?
I manage social media and publications for Alpha Rho Chi, a national professional fraternity for architecture and the allied arts. I joined Alpha Rho Chi as an undergraduate student, so being able to flex my creative muscles in the realms of print and digital media and give back to my fraternity at the same time is incredibly rewarding.
What do you love about working for Moore College of Art & Design?
There is so much creative energy at Moore—just walking in the doors encourages me to carve out more time in my life for my personal creative endeavors.
So far, what's exceeded your expectations when working with the students in Moore's CE program?
The students I've worked with have been very goal-oriented, and this has allowed me to cater course content to help them reach those professional and personal goals. It's exciting when you can see how what you're learning in class will help you reach the goals you have for yourself.
