Every year nearly 15,000 students graduate from the University of Minnesota and embark on the next step in their journey. This spring, the Class of 2016 begins to make its mark.
U alumni include founders and presidents of Fortune 500 companies, visionary artists and authors, 55 members of congress (plus 19 governors and two U.S. vice presidents), and thousands more working to make a difference every day.
Who will the Class of 2016 become?
Evelina Knodel
Architecture
College of Design
One of Evelina Knodel's proudest moments at the U was receiving University support after writing a proposal for a community garden in collaboration with the U of M neighboring Cedar/Riverside community.
"The garden's existence today makes me extremely excited about the power of collaboration and the future of sustainable food systems," says Knodel.
After graduation, she'll continue to address food insecurity and homelessness, pursuing graduate studies in urban design at Columbia University.
How do you see yourself having an impact on the world?
I hope to influence design, planning, policy, and implementation in regards to the design of urban environments. I hope that my ideas and engagement with communities, wherever I end up, will inspire innovation and movement towards more just and equitable cities.
How has your education helped to prepare you?
The ability to engage in a diverse set of disciplines has helped me to view design from many perspectives. The bachelor of design in architecture program allowed me to explore sustainability, community engagement, urban design and planning, digital fabrication, physical modeling, as well as food systems. Studying abroad in Rome my junior year also really opened my eyes to the problems facing our world as well as opportunities and solutions.
Did anything about college surprise you?
I was surprised by how quickly it went and how easy it is to take on too much! Sometimes, it is better to make hard decisions early on than to try to take on everything.
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