Monica Basili has a great passion for architecture. Her talent earned her second place in a recent national competition sponsored by the Coalition of Community College Architecture Programs (CCCAP). 

During her first year at COD, after finishing her general education classes, Basili realized that architecture was the only career she was interested in. As a sophomore, Basili registered for her first architecture studio class, along with engineering classes, and immediately understood this was the field she was meant to be in.

“I began working on my project in Professor of Architecture Mark Pearson’s studio design course. The project was to create a community resource center, which would be evaluated by several reviewers. The reviewers are usually alumni, architects or professors, but this year the difference was that not only would they critique our projects, but they would also select the top six designs who should join the competition,” Basili said. The competition involved 60 schools across the nation, and she achieved second place. The resource center, created by Basili, established a stability between the necessity of large open spaces and a protected and secure environment. It did not only provide for the society, but it was also a getaway from the stress and anxiety that urban life generates. 

As an Illinois Institute of Technology student now, Basili advised young adults to chase their dreams and never give up. 

“COD did help me a lot in choosing my career, my future path,” she said. “The greatest help comes from listening to your professor’s advice and continuing to challenge yourself. I learned a lot from my professors, but I pushed myself as well. I used my instructors’ tools, but it was me that decided how to use them, if that makes sense.”

Hard work and a thirst for knowledge have served Basili well. 

“People should never give up,” she said. “Believe in yourself and step out of your comfort zone. Doing massive research on the area that you are interested in helps as well. The most important thing is to expand your knowledge, and I think this is what inspired me to create my design. The greatest factor about COD is that the professors show you the path, but it’s up to you to follow that path.”

If you are interested in the Architecture program at College of DuPage visit: https://www.cod.edu/academics/programs/architecture/index.aspx for additional information.