Interview Story - Took Initiative

When I was the marketing intern at Yale University’s Office of Public Affairs, the university wanted more recognition for its historic architecture. After talking with many graduates, they realized that architecture was one of their most memorable impressions of the time in school. But other people weren’t so aware.

I saw an opportunity to use my abilities to work collaboratively and understand multiple individual perspectives at the same time to get Yale’s architecture the recognition it deserved.

To address the situation, I did some research to find out who we should be connecting with. I began by considering the greater New Haven area community, along with looking at various architecture groups, and other nonprofits who would be interested in this topic. I spoke with some Yale professors who were well connected to New Haven. I searched the Chronicles of Philanthropy database and also spoke to a local reporter from the New Haven Chronicle. I also did web searches to find out who was talking about architecture, especially at colleges and universities.

Following this research, I sat down with my coworker. I shared my research, and we decided on a two-part strategy: educate the local community and educate architects from around the world.

For the local community, we designed weekly tours that showed architecture ranging from the church-like Neo-Gothic residential colleges to the modern-looking ice rink dubbed “the whale” for its unique shape (and designed by Eero Saarinen who design the famous St. Louis arch).

Architects were given special “hard hat tours” of Yale’s new facilities. On certain occasions, we were able to recruit members of the Yale architecture faculty to stop and talk with them as well.

As a result, over the next 18 months, over a thousand people went on these tours. Yale got mentioned in four magazine and newspaper articles for its architecture. And I learned the value of creating unique strategies for different audiences.