Equipped to Lead and Succeed

Internship Secured in Class, Job Today

Through his professional practice class, architecture major Pablo Vilas '23 secured an internship. That internship is now his job.

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Pablo Vilas

What attracted you to USF?
The location, the program, and the campus involvement.

Why did you choose to major in architecture? What did you like most about it?
I have always liked building and designing homes. I used to build Legos and design my own things in Minecraft. I slowly developed a passion for architecture as I moved around the world and finally landed on my desired career.

What are you doing now?
Currently working as an assistant project manager at Plant Construction in San Francisco. I work closely with the senior project manager, the client, and the architect in coordinating the process of construction as well as organizational tasks like construction site walks, meetings, RFIs and submittals.

How did your USF education prepare you to do your work?
With the professional practice class, I got my internship which became my job today. In the class, we are asked to reach out to companies and send over our portfolios, establishing a relationship with the employer. This helps us with our networking and also to experience first-hand what looking for a job would essentially look like. This process pushed me to change my mentality from "I need this for school" to "I want to learn more."

Your career advice for current USF students?
Truly chase what you love and the answers will follow. Don't be scared to ask questions or to work with others. Leave pride outside the door because there is always something to learn in this field.