Franklin Otieno Mwango ’99 built and designed his own major at St. Lawrence before stepping into the world of architecture.

“I always wanted a career that involved designing within the built environment, and St. Lawrence allowed me to create my own multi-field degree in fine arts and environmental studies,” he says.

Studying in the University’s Denmark program was perfect for Franklin to get experience for his future career. While abroad, he undertook the pre-architecture diploma. “I enjoyed it so much that I went back the next summer on my own to learn more. My study abroad experience led me to pursue a master’s in architecture design,” he says.

After graduating from St. Lawrence, he attended the New School of Architecture and Design (NSAD) in San Diego. While a graduate student, Franklin received a special commendation by the Linda Vista City Council for designing an improved local mass-transit system he worked on with colleagues in 2002. He briefly worked at an architecture firm before returning to Kenya in 2003. For the last nine years, he has been lecturing at Kenyan universities.

“It is very fulfilling to mold future professionals in architecture and urban design,” he says. “Seeing them develop from fresh students to colleagues in the industry a few years later is most inspiring.”

His every-day work is inspired by his time at St. Lawrence. “The diverse courses and student experience enables one to think big and outside the box,” he says. “St. Lawrence helped me develop creativity when it comes to design, and the environmental studies foundation has helped me think of innovative design solutions that are socially and environmentally friendly, whether it is in the design of a single building, neighborhood, or even a wall painting.”