Class of 2020 Bootcamp

Date: September 6, 2019
Location: District Architecture Center, 421 7th St NW, Washington, DCSponsors: HKS, Gensler, WDG, & AIA|DC

Downloads: Bootcamp PDF

CKLDP’s first official session of the 2019-2020 year was held at the District Architecture Center on Friday, September 6. Claire Dickey, current chair, and Teri Coates, past chair, led the events for the afternoon and began the session by welcoming the incoming class. Claire provided an overview on the history of the program, a summary of the goals and expectations for the program, and outlined the schedule for the day.

Teri reminded the class that the success of the program is scholar driven: what they put into the program is what they will get out of it.

To kick of the leadership discussion for the afternoon, the first Keynote, Julia Gamolina of Madam Architect, presented her story of creating the influential blog and the lessons she has learned from interviewing other architects within the profession. Career advice provided in the presentation included:

The importance of having a mentor;
The difficult balance of aligning one’s professional goals with personal ones in order to enjoy one’s ever-evolving career path;
The importance of being flexible while being consistent;
Finding a role one feels comfortable and confident in;
Setting goals and routinely re-evaluating them over periods of time in order to mantain one’s development.

After the presentation, the sixteen scholars were asked to deliver a Pecha-Kucha presentation in 60 seconds with 3 images: one to describe themselves; one representing the type of leader they are; and an image representing the type of leader they want to be in the future.

Following the Pecha-Kucha, the class took part in the first breakout exercise. The scholars organized into groups of four to review the eight sessions’ topics and themes. Members of advisory and executive committees facilitated the brainstorming exercise in which all groups identified topics and issues they would like to be covered in a session.

Once complete, the class reconvened to review and discuss the key takeaways for each session’s topic.

Following the discussion, Claire made the lon-awaited announcement: which sessions the scholars will be responsible for in the coming year, and with whom they are paired.

The eight teams were given time to review the class suggestions for each topic with the goal of capturing the most important concepts from each vision board.

The class then reconvened and the advisory committee briefly introduced the scholars to the basic guidelines of communications, graphics, the website, sponsorship. and online resources.

Shannon Kraus concluded the day’s focus on leadership by introducing the scholars to the concept of servant leadership. His talk, which was based on his TED Talk, titled “Leaders Wanted. (Apply Within)” descrived a leader as someone who focuses on people, shares power, and puts the needs of others first.

Mr. Kraus highlighted why successful leadership involves bettering others as you better yourself, telling the group that people often limit our expectations and potential to give without realizing it. Following the keynote, the class reconvened for the annual alumni happy hour at the establishment, Dirty Habit.