University at Buffalo (UB)
Guiding architecture students onto career paths with care
Elaine Chow (front, second from right) with students at a recent New York City Career Trek, a multi-day firm tour which she organizes in partnership with faculty leads in the School’s urban planning and real estate development programs, as well as alumni and professional partners from across the tri-state metro region.
Elaine Chow (BPS ’98) embraces joint role as faculty member and director of student professional development for the Department of Architecture
Rachel Teaman August 17, 2026
Before arriving at UB in 2023 to pursue her Master of Architecture degree, Sriya Radhakrishnan, a native of India, kept getting the same tip from the international alumni she reached out to: “Introduce yourself to Elaine Chow.”
Radhakrishnan, an award-winning student at UB and now a healthcare design coordinator at the Raleigh, N.C. offices of HDR, says it was the best piece of advice she could have received.
“I still remember my first conversation with Elaine in the Hayes Hall Reading Room,” Radhakrishnan says of her introductory meeting with Chow, who serves as clinical associate professor and director of student professional development in the Department of Architecture.
“What stood out immediately was her ability to make every student feel seen and heard. She asked questions about my background, my interests, and my aspirations. More importantly, she remembered them.”
By the time she graduated in 2025, Radhakrishnan had a transformational experience in the NYC Career Trek under her belt, a solid portfolio, and an internship and first professional position lined up. And when she later decided to shift directions to pursue her “dream job” as a healthcare design specialist for HDR, Chow was right there with her, offering feedback on her application materials and interview approach.
“My professional journey in the United States feels, in many ways, like a series of conversations with Elaine Chow. She has been a constant presence through every stage, from my first portfolio review, to securing my current role, to continuing to grow within the profession. More than anything, her mentorship gave me confidence in my own path,” she says of Chow, who also teaches UB’s portfolio seminar course and heads up the faculty team for the third-year undergraduate design studio.
Professional development with a personal touch
Radhakrishnan is just one of countless architecture students to have benefitted from Chow’s above-and-beyond personal touch to professional development. Since taking on the newly created student service position in 2020, Chow has built a collaborative system of programs and supports, guiding students from the undergraduate to post-graduate level along their journeys into architecture and its allied fields.
Through dedication, care, and a widely cast network of partnerships with alumni, employers, professional associations, student organizations, and UB’s central career services team, Chow delivers services including one-on-one mentorship, portfolio and resume reviews, licensure advising, alumni Q&As, firm visits, mock interviews, employment referrals, and networking events.
A graduate of the program herself, Chow (BPS ’98) says she views her dual role as an opportunity to pay forward the generosity she experienced as a student at UB. “What I valued most as a student were the faculty members, like recently retired Beth Tauke, who care, and remember,” says Chow, who joined the architecture faculty in 2017 after over a decade in private practice. “I’ve been thankful for the opportunity to return to UB to teach and work directly with students to support them on their career paths. It's exciting to see where they end up and to build that lifelong relationship with the School.”
Earlier this year, AIA Buffalo/WNY, one of Chow’s collaborators, along with the Buffalo Architecture Foundation, presented Chow with its annual Mentor Award for her efforts to launch the careers of future architects at UB. “Few individuals embody the impact of mentorship as deeply as Elaine Chow through her dedicated support of students and emerging professionals. In her role at the University at Buffalo and through her extensive outreach efforts, she has built meaningful, lasting connections that open doors and expand opportunities beyond the classroom,” wrote the jury for the organization’s 2026 Annual Service Awards program.
In 2025, Chow received the UB Faculty Champion Award for her ongoing collaboration with the UB Career Design Center (CDC) in support of architecture student professional development, which recognized Chow as a “vital conduit” for student professional development who bridges academia and industry through robust partnerships across UB and beyond.
Elaine Chow and fellow UB architecture alumni are all smiles as they reconnect at the annual alumni reception held in New York City as part of a recent NYC Career Trek.
Throughout the year, UB architecture students have the opportunity to meet with local practitioners, many of them UB alumni, who volunteer as mentors through Chow's collaboration with the AIA Buffalo/WNY. Here, Ionut Reynolds (MArch '27) meets with Hector Garrido (MArch '02, BPS '99), an architect with CPL and member of AIA Buffalo/WNY's Diversity Committee, for a recent portfolio and resume review session.
Q&A with Elaine Chow
Whether for a first-year or graduating student, what’s the most critical piece of advice you can offer?
The most important thing a student can do – regardless of where you are in the program – is build your awareness about the career resources available. All architecture students are automatically added to the “ARC-Professional Development-Career Advisement” course on UB Learns, where I post the latest workshops, resources, and job postings. I also encourage students to follow my email announcements sharing additional time-sensitive information such as scholarships and awards deadlines. Even though something might not be relevant for you right now, you can start thinking ahead and being proactive. Start building your resume and portfolio early. Even first-year students can join a firm tour, attend our annual Public Programs lecture series and PERSPECTIVES alumni Q&As, and participate in networking events. Plan your schedule to allow time to take advantage of these resources. For those further along in the program, I can help navigate the path to licensure set out by NCARB, which allows for personalization in how competency experiences are earned and which exams to take, and when. In addition, network, network, network. That's probably the strongest thing anyone has in their favor when preparing for that internship or job search. Of course, we have our UB alumni network, which we connect students to year-round, but don’t forget about your fellow classmates – the people sitting next to you in studio. That's the network you're going to build upon for the rest of your career.
- Alireza Bohrani (MArch ’27), who currently holds a summer internship with KPF and won first place in the Porada International Design competition earlier this year and was recently named Emerging Interior Designer of the Year at the DNA Paris Design Awards
As an international student, I arrived in the United States with great ambition but very little understanding of the professional culture here. Looking back, I can honestly say that Elaine played the single most important role in helping me navigate that transition. I still remember telling her I wanted to work at KPF. The moment KPF internship interview appointments became available, she emailed me and encouraged me to register before the slots filled. That small moment says everything about who Elaine is. She genuinely pays attention to every student’s aspirations and actively helps create opportunities for them. Her belief in me changed the way I saw myself.
What can students expect in terms of your availability for one-on-one support?
Make that appointment. I am always available to meet with students. It’s rarely just a single meeting. In the initial conversation, we discuss your goals and aspirations for the scholarship or position you’re hoping to obtain. And then I’m available as a set of eyes, a source of feedback, all the way to the submission or application. I also encourage recent graduates to reach out. I see myself as a long-term liaison for the School and am interested in understanding and supporting our emerging professionals on next steps in their career path. Both current and former students (within a half year of their graduation) can make appointments with me via UB Navigate, UB’s student success and academic support gateway. Otherwise, I am always accessible via LinkedIn or email at eychow@buffalo.edu.
How do you support students pursuing scholarships and awards?
There are an increasing number of scholarship and awards opening up to students, including from private firms and diversity-building efforts across the profession. We regularly see our students placed in the Metropolis Future 100, which recognizes the top graduating architecture and interior design students in the U.S. and Canada. Many scholarships and awards include a financial component as well as an internship. I share these opportunities through emails and the “ARC-Professional Development-Career Advisement” UB Learns course. Often, I identify and encourage students I see as a good fit to apply and advise them throughout the application process. Many students are intimidated and think they aren’t good enough. I always tell them, just try submitting. Like the lottery, you have to participate to win. These things take time, resilience, and effort.
- Liya Rachal Chandy (MArch ’22), who was selected for the 2022 Metropolis Future 100 list of top architecture students in the U.S. and Canada and today serves as a technical designer with Gensler’s Phoenix office
Elaine didn’t just help me find a job, she helped me build a career. She saw potential in me before I fully saw it in myself and consistently encouraged me to pursue opportunities that felt beyond my reach. From preparing me for the Metropolis Future 100 competition to connecting me with mentors who ultimately led me to my current position with Gensler, her support changed the course of my professional life.
How do you integrate your teaching and service roles at UB?
My teaching and service roles work hand in hand. I lead the faculty team for UB’s fall semester junior architecture studio, which puts me in front of every undergrad student in their critical third year, when they need to start lining up that internship, which I recommend every student have before they graduate. I also teach one of the sections offered of the portfolio seminar, open to students at the undergraduate and graduate level (portfolio seminar is required for all non-thesis track MArch students). In this course, we build out the portfolio as the central piece of their job applications, shifting from a studio-focused presentation to a more integrated, multi-project visual and written narrative. I emphasize career readiness and incorporate interview exercises and networking opportunities throughout the course.
How do you coordinate with and leverage UB’s Career Design Center’s resources?
I work regularly with Ed Brodka, UB’s career design consultant for the School of Architecture and Planning, to deliver Career Design Center programming, including presentations on networking, resume-building, and interview preparation. Every year, we offer the UB Architecture Virtual Career Fair, for which I recruit firms both locally and nationally to host information sessions and conduct introductory interviews. Students should not be intimidated by signing up. It’s an informal format with options to simply listen to presentations from our alumni and partners on their firm’s background and hiring expectations. There are also short one-on-one sessions where students can meet with hiring managers. Most employer representatives are UB alumni, so they're really there to just meet with our students, offer encouragement, and provide helpful feedback. For many of our students, the Virtual Career Fair is a steppingstone to a full interview. These sessions are open to all students, and I encourage even undergraduates in the early part of the program to attend the employer information sessions so that they can begin identifying the right firm culture fit and build that network. I also bring CDC experts to my portfolio seminar course to help students begin preparing their resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and cover letters. Students can make an appointment with Ed for one-on-one prep sessions. CDC also manages the Bullseye powered by Handshake job and internship board featuring more than 200,000 employers.
Todd Graci (MArch '12, BS Arch '10), director of stadium construction for the Buffalo Bills, who helped oversee the building of the new HIghmark Stadium in Orchard Park, talks with UB architecture students in Crosby Hall as part of the PERSPECTIVES alumni Q&A series. (The program is largely offered online, but hybrid presentations are held when alumni are available to travel).
Let’s talk about the PERSPECTIVES speaker series featuring our alumni. What can students expect from this resource, and why should they attend?
We established the PERSPECTIVES alumni speaker series to expose our students to the School’s wealth of amazing alumni and their varied career paths. Since its founding in 2021, we have hosted three to four talks every semester. These are casual, conversational Q&As that allow our alumni to offer words of wisdom on how they have designed their careers – from their first internship to navigating the work-life balance to pivoting to a new field, role, or city. This is a critical networking opportunity open to all students and even alumni interested in catching up with their fellow classmates. Often these talks feel like mini reunions! Students who attend a PERSPECTIVES talk, which are largely offered virtually, can ask questions, follow up, and connect with that alumnus in a more personal way. Most talks are available as recordings that can be accessed via UB Learns or upon request. I am always looking for alumni to present; I invite all those interested to reach out to me. We accommodate in-person presentations as hybrid events, as well, when allumni are able to travel to UB South Campus.
- Terence Huang (MArch ’27, BS Arch ’25), who is past president of UB AIAS and has secured four internships over the course of his time at UB
One of the most impactful parts of my experience at UB has been working with Elaine Chow through my leadership of AIAS. With her constant support, we were able to rebuild and grow the chapter to over 50 active members, host the 2025 AIAS Northeast Quad Conference, and establish a structured executive board framework that will continue to benefit future student leaders. None of this would have been possible without Elaine. Beyond AIAS, Elaine’s mentorship has given me the confidence to take on leadership roles, apply for competitive internships and scholarships, and build meaningful relationships with professionals across the industry.
How do you connect with the professional associations and student organizations to offer career resources?
We offer several annual events in collaboration with the AIA Buffalo/WNY chapter and work especially closely with its Emerging Professionals Committee. At the beginning of the Spring semester, we offer a networking event where I invite local AIA practitioners, many of them UB alumni, to South Campus to meet with students, review their portfolios, and conduct mock interviews. It’s a wonderful opportunity to get face-to-face with local practitioners and build mentoring relationships. Additionally, our students are invited to many local AIA networking events and presentations by firms on top issues in the industry.
Our student leadership organizations, including the UB chapters of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) and the National Organization for Minority Architecture Students (NOMAS), the UB Architecture Graduate Student Association (ArchGSA), and the Alpha Rho Chi (APX) co-ed fraternity for students of architecture and allied professions, are vital partners. I work especially closely with UB’s chapter of AIAS as faculty advisor. We organize regular firm tours throughout Western New York and even Rochester, which are open to students from across the School. In 2025, UB’s AIAS chapter hosted the national AIAS Northeast Quad Conference, bringing students and practitioners from across the Northeast to our campus for presentations and site visits related to adaptive reuse and design in post-decline cities. We’ve also sent AIAS members to Washington, D.C., where AIAS hosts its annual Grassroots Leadership Conference. In 2025, a group of UB students traveled to Austin, Texas, and Denver, Colorado, in 2026 for the AIAS’ annual FORUM career development conference. In Fall 2026, we’re organizing a student group to attend the AIAS Northeast Quad conference in New York City, which takes place Oct. 1-4. All students – even those in urban planning programs – are welcome to join AIAS. It’s a low threshold to join, involving a nominal national membership fee and then you’re in.
UB alumnus Tony Santangelo (BPS '94) of Kideney Architects gives feedback on the portfolios and resumes of Marshall Yannello (BS Arch '28) (center) and Emmett Crawley (BS Arch '29) (right). The feedback session is part of a host of workshops and networking events organized year-round by Chow with AIA Buffalo/WNY.
UB alumnus Emily Battaglia (MArch '22, BS Arch '20) of LaBella Associates, a member of AIA Buffalo/WNY', meets with Mike Hodgkiss (MArch '28) for a mock interview event held every Spring in Crosby Hall.
UB architecture students Kelly Huang (MArch '25, BS Arch '24) (left) and Natalie Freund (MArch '25, BS Arch '23) (center) meet for a mock interview with Amber Holycross of Wendel , one of dozens of volunteer mentors from AIA Buffalo/WNY.
For nearly a decade, the School of Architecture and Planning has participated in UB’s New York City Career Trek. What can students expect from this opportunity, and who is eligible to attend?
The NYC Career Trek, offered annually over winter break, is open to students from across our architecture, real estate, environmental design, and urban planning programs. It features an intensive itinerary of site visits and firm tours, from large, multi-national firms to smaller, boutique firms and design organizations specializing in different areas, from housing to airports. This is a great opportunity for students to get a better understanding of different types and scales of workplaces and what environment is the best fit for their career path. We conclude the program by bringing students, alumni, and even faculty together for a reception hosted by UB’s Office of Alumni Engagement. As many as 100 alumni from the tri-state region have attended recent events.
Students take in the New York cityscape and world-class architecture as part of the 2026 NYC Career Trek, which included dozens of firm tours and site visits across New York City. Here they tour the roof terrace of COOKFOX Architects.
Students tour the offices and learn about the work of Obra Architects with co-founder Pablo Castro as part of the 2026 NYC Career Trek.
Students tour the New York City offices of Kohn Pederson Fox Associates, with a personal tour by alumnus and firm director David Ottavio (BA '85) on the 2026 NYC Career Trek.
- Md Ahsan Ullah (MArch ’26), who is assistant project manager for Sciame Construction in New York City
One of the most valuable parts of Elaine’s support was her guidance as I considered shifting my career toward construction management. Although this field is closely connected to architecture, it was still a difficult career decision for me. Elaine never simply told me what path to follow. Instead, she explained the advantages and disadvantages of each option, asked thoughtful questions, and helped me make the decision for myself. Throughout my time at UB, I met with Professor Chow to review my resume and portfolio, ultimately helping me secure a job three months before graduation.
Beyond direct networking, what opportunities do students have to expose their work to employers?
In addition to our portfolio review sessions and mock interviews, the School regularly hosts showcase events and exhibitions to elevate and celebrate student work. Since 1988, the School has organized an annual Atelier Week, a weeklong celebration of the people, ideas, and work that define our program. Its Open Studio event opens our studios, classrooms, and workspaces across Hayes, Crosby, and Parker Halls to the community, giving students the opportunity to share and discuss their work. This fall, the School will host IN PROCESS: STUDIOWORKS, a Crosby Hall exhibition featuring select student work. The exhibition, which celebrates the rigor of the design process and studio culture at UB, opens August 19 and runs through November 13. The School also publishes the annual Intersight journal of student work, featuring work across our programs in architecture and urban planning. That publication, which is widely disseminated and published online, is curated and produced each year by a Master of Architecture student selected to serve as the Fred Wallace Brunkow Fellow.
Last Spring, the School of Architecture and Planning welcomed Safdar Abidi (MArch '91) of Perkins&Will as its inaugural Alumni Spotlight Speaker during Atelier Week. As part of his visit, Chow worked with Abidi, pictured left, to organize a Q&A session so students could learn more about his career pathway.