Fionn Hui is an incoming freshman to Illinois Institute of Technology’s architecture program. Fionn has delved into her passion for art and design through her school’s graphic design club, the Chicago Architecture Center, and the ACE mentorship program. She is also involved in advocating for AAPI communities through her leadership roles at her high school’s Asian American Club and the Asian Pacific Islander Teen Alliance of Chicago. Combining her interest in design and activism, Fionn strives to explore the various facets of architecture such as social justice, sustainable design, and combatting hostile architecture. She strongly believes in improving the architecture field to encompass the voices of local communities. In her spare time, Fionn enjoys photography and gouache painting.
Jalion McLean is an African-American high school senior from Maine. While dual-enrolled in her local community college, she is on track to graduate with 27 college credits, 15 of which will come from the completion of her 2-year Engineering and Architectural Design Course. During her high school career, she served her school and community as her class representative, SkillsUSA Chapter President at her technical school, Southern Regional Vice President for the SkillsUSA Maine State Officer Team, and an active member of her school’s student government, garden and theater clubs.
Jalion has competed at the state level in Architectural Design and Prepared Speech, she received bronze in both. Jalion is certified in Solidworks at the Associate level, and hopes to utilize her background in engineering basics to further her career in architecture. She was Sanford Regional Technical Center’s 2019 Student of the Year, and will be graduating as a member of Technical Honors Society.
Her instructor, Mr. Russell Clark, speaks of Jalion’s talent and motivation for her chosen field of architecture, but is quick to point out that “Jalion has an amazing work ethic and is extremely creative. She is determined and focused serves as role model for the class …while she is so engaged with her own studies she will not hesitate to stop and help others. She does so happily.” Jalion hopes to go on to design sustainable and green buildings, using architecture to innovate and empower the world around her. Jalion will attend Illinois Institute of Technology in the fall, where she will working towards her Bachelor’s in Architecture.
My name is Roberto Arroyo as you may already know. I am Mexican-American and was born and raised in Chicago. I have one younger brother (15) who is in high school, a mother, and a father. I will be graduating from ITW David Speer Academy and will be attending IIT in the fall.
My interest in architecture sparked when I joined the Chicago Architecture Center Teen Fellows; I was intrigued by the work and dedication that architects would put in to their design and thought process. I enjoy learning about architecture and have since then pursued architecture as a career.
Tiffany Chang (B. Arch ’22) is a student at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, IL. She credits her love of architecture to a dream house floor plan she drew in sixth grade, and to her mentors from the ACE (Architecture/Construction/Engineering) Mentor Program in Seattle, WA. At Illinois Tech, she is a Camras Scholar and serves on the chapter board of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS). Minoring in urban studies, she hopes to someday transform cities through the business of the built environment. When she is not in studio, Tiffany enjoys exploring Chicago and documenting its buildings through photos.