Soapbox

It’s been a very, very busy spring….and it’s only half over! The UC campus—and downtown Cincinnati—has been entertaining visitors from all around the world who are deeply involved in creating and thinking about the built environment. Architects, historians, builders, designers and manufacturers have come to Cincinnati to SEE what all the fuss is about and to LEARN what they can from our successes (and presumably, our failures). They are surprised to discover the depth and breadth of design talent and creativity in this otherwise typically Midwestern city, one that is rumored to be quite conservative. In fact, I’d wager that architecture and design are increasingly responsible for a great deal of travel to Cincinnati!

The Society of Architectural Historians (SAH) came to Cincinnati in late April to hold their annual, international conference. The conference was originally to be held in Montreal, but the sale and demolition of the designated conference hotel left the organizers scrambling for a new venue. I don’t know how they came to chose Cincinnati, but I think they’re glad they did. We (the faculty of the UC School of Architecture and Interior Design) learned about it from the hotel management from whom the SAH had requested price quotes. One thing led to another and, ultimately, a team of a dozen or so UC faculty formed to shape the conference experience, designing tours, social events and special speakers to provide a local context for the conventional series of paper sessions and keynote lectures.

After the opening reception, Mayor Mallory welcomed the group of over 400 architectural scholars who came to Cincinnati, along with local faculty, students, practitioners and boosters. The local tours were popular and included guided views of Columbus, Indiana, the Serpent Mounds of Central Ohio, and walks through Over the Rhine. There were multiple tours of the UC Campus, which has been transformed over the past 15 years from an hodgepodge of nondescript (some even ugly), primarily brick buildings to a curated collection of contemporary architecture, designed with some of the most important architects practicing at the turn of the 21st century. Our visitors were surprised….and pleased.

In our own backyard, they saw one of the country’s largest concentrations of late Victorian architecture (OTR), a well-known collection of late Modern architecture (Columbus, IN) and an important collection of contemporary architecture (UC). You may be as surprised as they to learn that Cincinnati also generated a significant number of mid-century modern architectural gems, many designed right here in Cincinnati, by Cincinnatians. Fifty of these buildings (both still standing and long-gone) were documented in a cataloged in a brochure-cum-book titled 50 from the 50’s.

Two weeks after the DFC and just one week after the historians left town, a select group of educators representing 16 schools came to Cincinnati to discuss the present and future opportunities for collaborative education between architecture and interior design programs. Graced with sunny weather, our one-hour campus tour stretched to two hours, before we returned to the Vernon Manor for a BBQ on the rooftop deck and a fabulous view of the region from Cincinnati’s highest viewing spot. We then spent a full day discussing curriculum and brainstorming about the future of environmental design education. I’m still getting emails from participants remarking on their experience here.

Surprised and impressed, too, were twenty industry giants from the Board of the Design Futures Council (DFC), who came to Cincinnati for their semi-annual, think-tank style meeting just days before SAH conferees arrived. They spent their first hours in Cincinnati on the UC campus. On a spectacular spring afternoon, we gave them a quick tour of the campus, focusing on MainStreet, and then went inside DAAP to discuss emerging trends in the design fields, with an emphasis on collaborative, interdisciplinary research and practice.

We were nervous about this visit; the Design Futures Council publishes the journal Design Intelligence, which conducts the annual survey that, for the past nine years, has ranked UC in the top 10 among schools of architecture, interior design, and industrial design. This ranking relies on one central survey question, “of those graduates you’ve seen, which school(s) best prepare students for the present and future practice of architecture/interior design/industrial design?” How is it that this Midwestern, public institution has managed to produce graduates that so impress employers in practice, all across North America?

Many believe it is simply due to our 102-year old cooperative education system that delivers graduates with a year and a half of work experience completed while they’re still students. That’s a compelling argument, but it does not explain why employers are also quite impressed with students that come to work in their offices as sophomores and juniors, with little or no prior experience. It does not explain comments that I hear from practitioners, such as “UC students are able to fit right into our firm’s culture; they quickly contribute to our work.” I believe that there are, and would have to be, a number of factors that contribute to UC’s rankings in this survey.

One may be a Midwestern ethos of hard work. When Herman Schneider first conceived cooperative education at UC in 1906, he sought a practical solution to local industry and educational needs that also built upon the history of apprenticeship in many applied trades. The result is a particular culture of education and practice that students choose conscientiously, knowing they will begin working at the age of 19 or 20 and that they may be moving four times a year, as they alternate between work and school. 

The co-op lifestyle makes one nimble and encourages students to integrate theory and practice. Wide-eyed freshmen become scruffy, sometimes scrappy, sophomores, but they transform as they approach their first co-op assignment in the spring of their second year. They return to school with new haircuts, new clothes, and a new, more mature attitude. Each cycle in and out of school brings new perspective to their studies and to their work. Co-op is more than mere work experience. It offers students amazing opportunities and choices, in great contrast to our demanding curriculum and their (most likely) suburban lives. Students stretch themselves (and their parents), taking jobs in “tough places” like New York City and as far away as India. Our students become entrepreneurs, seeking and shaping their own experiences. It’s no surprise to me, therefore, that UC alumni are launching and leading companies of all sorts.

Michael Graves, B Arch class of 1958, is a dramatic example of this entrepreneurial spirit. He went on to graduate school at Yale after leaving UC, and then went on to create a successful practice that reaches well beyond architecture, to the design of furniture and household products. Many people have seen his buildings (e.g., the Engineering Research Center on the UC campus), but many, many more have seen (and bought) the small appliances and bathroom accessories he’s designed for Target stores.

This spirit is evident in our students, both on campus and off. The DFC’s tour was highlighted by UC’s entry into the Solar Decathlon competition, sponsored by the US Department of Energy. The competition has three main phases. First, universities around the world respond to an open call for proposals. From hundreds of submissions, twenty are selected for competition and awarded a $100,000 seed grant from the DOE. The selected schools then have two years to develop designs and build a 900 square foot house that will support typical domestic life “off the grid.” Finally, the houses are all transported and installed along the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for a series of competitive tests over a period of two weeks.

A remarkable fact is that the UC entry was entirely initiated by students, who wrote the proposal and solicited faculty and university support. We never dreamed the proposal would make it to the second round! However, we followed the students’ lead (how could we not?) and reorganized ourselves to pull this off. In the end, students, faculty and staff from the colleges of Engineering, Arts and Sciences, Business and DAAP spent countless hours (for credit and not) designing, fundraising, scavenging material and building the house, in the middle of campus.

Ultimately, our house finished 15th among the twenty entries. We find this a remarkable accomplishment, especially given our late start and (sometimes desperate) lack of experience and resources in nearly every aspect of the competition. We can be proud of the fact that, at about $300k, ours was one of (if not the) least expensive of the entries, which topped $2 million at the high end (the winner, in fact). Built on trailer bases, it was one of few that did not require a crane for installation on the Mall. In addition to the requisite photovoltaic cell technology, the UC house deploys other innovative systems that, among other things, use heat to cool the interior.

UC students, faculty and staff work hard at the enterprise of teaching and learning, along with our partners in practice, many of whom are also alumni. A Midwestern culture of hard work, dedication to practice, and entrepreneurship distinguish UC from the cultures and expectations of the coasts. Collectively, we have much to be proud of, and much to offer.

Architecture is at the center of my life—it’s my career and the lens through which I see and experience many things. I choose to believe that architecture and design affect people’s lives, both directly and indirectly. Events of the past few weeks helped shore my belief, as I’ve witnessed the affect that Cincinnati’s design community/arts and designed environment has had on visitors.

Last night, May 10, the CAC celebrated Visionary Jay Chatterjee, who for 19 years served as Dean of UC’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (locally known as “DAAP” and formerly known as DAA). Jay’s influence has been key to the development of contemporary architecture in Cincinnati and, most notably, on the UC campus, during the past 20+ years. The CAC is one Cincinnati institution that benefited from Jay’s advocacy; he helped bring Zaha Hadid—chosen among a field of six renown architects—to design the center’s‘new’ building, the Lois and Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art, now five years old.

The lobby was overflowing with supporters, which included artists, architects, designers, and UC President Nancy Zimpher, with even a greater cross-section than is normally found at the popular Friday night exhibit openings at the CAC. Architects, in particular, were drawn to the CAC this evening. Yes, they were there to honor our colleague, Jay Chatterjee, but they were also there to honor the fifth anniversary of Hadid’s first and only North American building, and the first and only museum in the world to be designed by a woman. They also came for the exhibits, featuring ‘chairs’ designed by ten world-renown architects (including Hadid). Earlier that week, the Daniel Libeskind show closed, including drawings and photos of several of the architect’s recent work and featuring drawings, models, and photos of the Ascent condominium project now open in Covington.

This event demonstrates and highlights the increased appreciation for and interest in architecture as a contemporary art. The CAC is often at the center of Cincinnati’s eclectic arts community, a place where the mature and established meet the emerging and unknown….all of whom are essential in sustaining a creative—and productive—class of citizens.

By Barbara Diamond

VUCA is an acronym coined by the Army War College.  It stands for Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous.  Its original point was to help the Army think about the strategic environment for decisions about training, leading and stationing forces. Do you feel that you are living in a VUCA world?

Nowadays, it applies to the settings for work, philanthropy, global business, leadership, and, most recently, public education. The KnowledgeWorks Foundation / Institute for the Future 2006-2016 Map of Future Forces Affecting Education is a provocative picture of the forces that will play out in the urban United States over a decade. “VUCA Communities” is a “hot spot” on the map.  That means that VUCA presents both challenges and opportunities for big improvements both in public education and in our community life together.

Does Cincinnati experience this VUCA environment?  In my view, the answer is yes.

What is volatile? The job market.  And it goes both ways.  The city is losing manufacturing and finance jobs, but it is gaining global jobs, through “in-sourcing” and our global companies.  And in fact the whole world feels volatile: change is accelerating.

What is uncertain?  We may feel that we are “beyond” September 11, but loud noises, network breakdowns and power outages still scare us, and make us wonder what the future holds.

What is complex?  We don’t like to talk about race in many parts of Cincinnati, but it is hard to deny that our race relations remain complex.

What is ambiguous?   We seem to be moving toward a consensus that global warming is a real phenomenon, with human causes, but we have a whole new set of questions.  Can we address this problem without ruining our economic well-being?  What matters most?  How much time do we have?

You can add your own examples – they might include your reactions to crime, drugs, gangs, economic inequality, a lack of shared norms, a weakening infrastructure, or whatever else keeps you up at night.

What we have learned about handling the challenge of the VUCA world is two-fold:  First, to cope in this kind of world we need the skills of readiness and resilience. It is impossible to plan for every eventuality, so we need to be ready.  Even when we aren’t ready, we need the capacity to bounce back. 

Second, there are qualities of leadership that work best in a VUCA world, and they add up to a different kind of VUCA: Vision, Understanding, Clarity, and Agility.

My fondest hope is that we in Cincinnati can cultivate these skills and this kind of leadership, so that we can create the future we want. 

By Matt Williams

There is no argument that technology has changed the way we absorb information and interact with others. As a father of three, technology has also changed the way my wife and I provide opportunities for our children. We are always looking for ways to expand their horizons and to expose them to a wealth of experiences.

As transplanted Texans to Cincinnati, our children keep in touch with their grandparents through e-mail, a webcam, and soon I am going to encourage our seven-year-old to blog about his baseball season.  Even our one-year old e-mails. It looks a little like this: 34ndf weru80 ehjdjp but it is the thought that counts, right? Technology has helped to bring our family closer to our loved ones as well as teach our children that the world is a mere mouse click away. Some might grumble that it is not the same as face-to-face communication, and no, maybe it isn’t, but it can deepen relationships, provide a platform for frequent and varied contact, and help our children cultivate technical, communication, and written skills, which are all foundations for success in the 21st Century.

Our family computer (and sometimes my laptop) has become a hotbed of exploration. Often our seven-year old will come home from school wanting to research further something he learned that day in school. Recently it was killer whales and polar bears. It was a wonderful opportunity to research online what the two animals eat, their migratory patterns, etc. Our daughter became fascinated with Groundhog Day, so we used it as an opportunity to dive deeper into the world of Punxsutawney Phil. Together, we’ve constructed PowerPoints (we use the open source office suite, Open Office,) made movies, and of course played games. We have used Lego Designer, which allows for a kid (or adult) to design a Lego creation online, print it out, and construct it in real life using real Legos. These are the fundamentals of engineering and architecture being played out in my house. It really is a whole new world.

Our family’s plunge into a more technology rich world has also allowed us to gain greater insight as parents into our children’s likes and dislikes, communication styles, willingness to experiment, ability to logically tackle tasks, and solve problems.

By Jeff Edmonson

Imagine two students sitting next to each other in the same classroom: one has recently finished writing her first dramatic play and the other cannot read the word “toe”. Unfortunately, it’s a pretty standard experience for many teachers, including my wife, who has taught 9th grade English in school systems across the country.

The problem can be blamed on a host of reasons.  Barbara Diamond outlined the realities of students growing up in Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous (VUCA) communities. The experiences of these students and their history inside and outside the classroom can lead to divergent outcomes.

But let’s put aside for a second why this happens, and focus on the challenge this presents to teachers.  The two students highlighted above just represent the extremes, not the range of abilities students have in the classroom.  How would you meet their unique individual needs so they could all make the improvements standardized testing demands?

My wife’s response is to spend 80 hours per week developing unique individualized learning plans for each student. When she taught in Washington, D.C. she would tap into the rich cultural and non-profit resources in the community, most if not all of which are available right here in Cincinnati, such as the Museum Center and Playhouse in the Park.  In the end, she would derive a curriculum for each learner.

This is the response required not only to meet the needs of individual students, but to meet their expectations.  The 21st Century is defined in part by the increased ability we have to tailor our lives to our unique individual tastes and interests.  This is due in great part to the explosion of technology.  We can customize everything from our entertainment to our social networks.  Students are beginning to expect the same from their education.

And this expectation presents a whole new challenge. It requires a whole new system.  We have to break down the artificial walls of the schoolhouse and realize that learning happens everywhere.  We need to think differently about not only teaching, but how we incorporate all the resources in our community more purposefully into the learning process.  We need to use these diverse resources to meet students where they are, both in their skill sets and their learning styles that are shaped by their interests.

The bottom line is that while our society has embraced for years the belief that each and every person is unique, we have not created the education system that embraces this ever-increasing reality.  The manufacturing model of education, “Velveeta High,” as one of my mentors put it, simply cannot work in the information age. 

We all must see ourselves as educators and we all must be part of the solution, regardless what sector we come from – education, business, non-profit, civic, faith, or philanthropic.  How do we work together reimagine schooling so it has no walls?  How to we tailor learning so it is personalized to truly meet the unique, individual needs of every student?  What role do you play?

One of my personal "top tips" for what women should do to succeed in their careers is to "enjoy the climb and take time to celebrate successes".  The reasons are obvious. Work is hard and it's important to make sure that you are finding ways to rise above the daily grind and enjoy yourself along the way. 
 
And one of the best ways is to celebrate - not just personal successes, but also the achievements of other women.  These celebrations increase the visibility of successful women in our community, give powerful role models to other women and provide enjoyable networking opportunities.
 
Cincinnati has a long tradition of high profile celebrations honoring women.  On April 22, The Enquirer's Women of the Year event attracted a sold out crowd of 1000 people to honor the volunteer work of ten exceptional women.  This is the 40th year that The Enquirer has hosted the event and Margaret Buchanan, Enquirer president and publisher, noted that "this time honored tradition has recognized a total of 401 phenomenal women for their work in our communities." This year's winners were Holly Collinsworth, Amelia Crutcher, Yvonne Gray, Beth Guttman, Carrie Hayden, Suzanne Kathman, Ruthann Sammarco, Marcella Trice, DeeDee West and Judith Wimberg. Their volunteer contributions are varied and far reaching and include chairing the board of the United Way, working for the arts, raising money for The Alzheimer's Association and for renovating Highlands High School, and helping homeless, low-income and elderly citizens. 
 
On April 29, the YWCA of Cincinnati holds its 28th annual Career Women of Achievement Awards celebration luncheon.  The event was established in 1980 to increase community awareness and appreciation for the diverse contributions of women in the workforce and the community.  Eight women who have positively influenced the community and their particular industries will be honored at another sold out event of 1500 people that has become one of the most illustrious events in Greater Cincinnati. This year's honorees are Laura Brunner, Managing Principal, Colliers Turley Martin Tucker, Virginia Drosos, President, Global Personal Beauty, Procter & Gamble, Crystal Faulkner, Partner, Cooney Faulkner and Stevens, Dr. Uma Kotagal, Senior Vice President, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Sandra Meyer, President of Duke Energy in Ohio and Kentucky, Celine Piri, President and CEO, TariCel Management Staffing, Monica Posey, Vice President of Academics, Cincinnati State, and Maribeth Rahe, President and CEO, Fort Washington Investments.
 
An interesting dynamic with these two events is the number of women who have been recognized by both organizations.  Several women were first honored by the YWCA for their career achievements, and were subsequently recognized by The Enquirer for their community leadership, including Charlotte Otto, Cynthia Booth and this year's Yvonne Gray.  Other women were first honored by The Enquirer, and then channeled their community work into successful careers, like Dianne Dunkelman, founder and CEO of National Speaking of Women's Health. These awards illustrate the truth in the adage that if you want something done and done well, give it to a busy person. Another very positive dynamic resulting from these events is the connection established among the winners. Both events have produced hundreds of alumni who are proud to be part of such esteemed groups and now support each other in their career and community endeavors.
 
There are other wonderful events in Cincinnati that celebrate women's' successes.  The Leading Women award started in 1995 with a mission to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution that gave women the right to vote. Each year,  approximately 20 women are recognized as leaders in many different categories, including science, arts, volunteer service, entrepreneur, law, media and ministry, among others. A newcomer to Cincinnati is the Athena Award program that held its first events in Cincinnati in 2006 and 2007.  The Athena Award is part of an international organization that is devoted to supporting, developing and honoring women leaders. Both of these programs recognize their honorees at luncheons that are open to the public and are upbeat, fun to attend and excellent networking opportunities.
 
One of my favorite celebration venues is the YWCA Women's Art Gallery, located in the YWCA's downtown headquarters at 898 Walnut Street.   Founded in 1993, the purpose of the Gallery is to promote local women artists and is the only Cincinnati area art gallery exclusively for women's art.   The Gallery hosts lively, well-attended opening receptions to celebrate the launch of each new show. The Gallery is also open to the public Monday through Friday.
 
These are just a few of the events that are dedicated to honoring and celebrating women in our community.  Tell us about others.  And in your busy life, take time to join the celebration!

I think one of the most valuable things that women can do to advance their careers is to take advantage of networking and mentoring opportunities. I put networking and mentoring in the same category - because I think that they go hand in hand as a lot of informal mentoring (the best kind!)  comes from the social interactions and deep relationships we develop through networking.
 
I have read many articles about the failure of business women to network and use our network connections to advance our careers.  The articles say that we should learn from our male counterparts on this important technique. There are many different kinds of networking events. For example, I have heard for years about the important business deals that are negotiated on the golf course by businessmen. Spectator sports like baseball and football are also popular with our male peers - and are certainly available to women.  But I think Cincinnati career women are finding new and perhaps more female friendly ways to interact with other working women.
 
As I mentioned in my first blog, many law firms and accounting firms host events that focus on connecting their professionals with women clients and prospective clients. My law firm, Thompson Hine, has developed the Spotlight on Women initiative that offers a mix of educational events and purely social gatherings throughout the year.  In the past we have sponsored seminars on sharpening negotiation skills for women (in the courtroom, at the closing table and in the workplace) that provide CLE (continuing legal education) credit to our guests, followed by wine tasting and mini spa treatments. We get educated, relaxed and manicured - a perfect mix!  Who needs golf?
 
A very popular networking event in Cincinnati is the quarterly bizwomen breakfast series presented by the Business Courier and sponsored by National City, U.C. Surgeons, Health Alliance and Thompson Hine.  Over 300 women gather at 7:30 a.m. to participate in roundtable discussions and hear a keynote speaker talk about her career challenges and successes.  The next bizwomen event is on May 2 at the Cincinnati Museum Center and the speaker is Sister Marie Thrailkill, President of the College of Mount St. Joseph. Check the Business Courier for details on upcoming events.
 
Excellent networking opportunities are available through various leadership development programs.  The Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce sponsors the Women Excel WE Lead Program, as well as the co-ed Leadership Cincinnati and C-Change programs. The YWCA offers the Rising Stars program for women between the ages of 25 and 40 who are rising in their careers and want to connect with Career Women of Achievement winners and other rising career women. The Urban League, the West Chester Chamber and the Northern Kentucky Chamber also offer leadership programs. Selection to these programs is competitive and participation requires an extended commitment of time over several months.  But the rewards are great in terms of learning about the community and interacting with the next generation of leaders in our region.
 
Career women can also network through their participation on nonprofit boards and related fundraising events.  Cincinnati's nonprofit organizations, especially the arts, have strong support from the business community and provide a worthwhile venue to interact with the area's power brokers. The key to reaping the most benefit of course is to undertake a significant project and produce outstanding results in order to build your credibility with this important audience.
 
One of my most valuable and enjoyable networking experiences has been through my membership in the Women's Capital Club, an investment club launched over 10 years ago by a group of 40 women. A requirement of membership is either notable career success or significant community volunteer activities (or both!).  The membership roster includes many high profile women leaders. The main goal of the Women's Capital Club is to learn about investment strategies and grow our portfolio. But a significant by-product has been the opportunity to interact with the other members in a relaxed and fun setting - and to establish connections that we can count on to support each other's business and community interests.
 
These are just a few examples of networking opportunities that I know about.  I am sure that there are many more worthwhile events and programs - in fact, tell us about them!  The main message is that career women should make every effort to take advantage of the events and programs in order to get connected with other working women.  Follow an example that has worked in the past for men and create the Old Girls' Club!  And use those connections to enhance your career and to support other women who are rising in the Cincinnati business community. 

Recently, I was one of several women interviewed by Stepfanie Romine of the Enquirer for an article she was writing about some past and current winners of the YWCA Career Women of Achievement award and how women are doing in Cincinnati. She quoted me as saying: "This is a really good time for women in Cincinnati. We have some terrific women in very visible leadership roles."  If you missed Stepfanie's article, search for 'A Good Time for Women' in the Business Section of the Sunday, March 16, 2008 edition of the Enquirer.