Who inspires you? For me, it’s been a combination of people at different points in my life and career. One thing I’ve noticed is that the best mentors, the great ones, are always pushing.
I’ve been fortunate to have so many mentors and influential people in my life. Of course, my immediate family comes to mind, that’s where morals and work ethics are learned.
Outside of my family were the various leaders in Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Civil Air Patrol and believe it or not a brief venture into the 4-H Club. I know, you ask, a city boy in the 4-H Club, how did that happen?
The most important influences in my professional career started with my teachers.
My high school drafting teacher was the first teacher to mentor me. As a junior, I already had an extreme interest in architecture and he knew that.
As soon as we got past the fundamentals of mechanical drafting, he was able to direct me in my quest to learn architectural drafting.
He tailored my assignments in that direction and even found competitions for me to participate in. I entered several and achieved some honorable mentions.
One was a model-building competition and the finalists were displayed at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.
I was so excited! Mr. O’s guidance created an enthusiasm for something I was interested in and then he helped make it happen.
Among all my college professors there were several that stood out.
They were practicing architects who were doing significant work in the city. Some had designed high rise buildings I had first seen while growing up.
Other professors worked on smaller projects with a tremendous amount of detail.
The common element was how they taught me how to do things right, and at the same time, they were interested in my success.
The great ones are always pushing the boundary, urging you to examine outside the box.
This article was written by Bill Styczynski of Studio21 Architects. Read more here: http://studio21architects.com/influencers-the-great-ones-are-always-pushing/
