We welcome a new Kansas State University intern: Ben Yerich

Currently a fourth-year student at Kansas State University, Ben joins DMA for a 6-month internship. Passionate about architecture and history, amongst other subjects, he is eager to learn much while with us and we’ll make sure to deliver!

1. Where are you originally from?

I was born in Manhattan, Kansas and lived there for a few months. I then moved to Basalt, Colorado for a few years, back to Manhattan until I was five, and then grew up in the South Denver area in Highlands Ranch and Lone Tree, Colorado. I attended and graduated from Arapahoe High School in Centennial, Colorado.

2. What inspired you to want to be an architect?

I grew up in a very creative family, and spent a lot of time with my brother and cousins working on art. My father has worked in construction for nearly 30 years and I began working with him during the summers when I was in high school. I wanted to use the skills I developed when I was younger to help other people. Soon after starting college, I really enjoyed historical architecture and its impacts on civilization, so I decided to change my major to Architecture in the summer of 2019. From that point, I have really found a passion in design and being able to use my skills to help people has been so rewarding.

2. Where are you a student?

I am currently a student at Kansas State University in the College of Architecture, Planning, and Design pursuing my master’s degree in Architecture with a minor in Business Administration. I am a fourth year student with an expected graduation date of May 2023.

3. Why did you want to do an internship? And why at DMA?

I wanted to do an internship because of the experience I would gain working in the real world. There are a lot of things that school has taught me over the last three years, but there are also a lot of things it hasn’t. Working for an established firm would allow me to improve as a designer and learn valuable information to take into my final year of school. I chose DMA because of the quality and type of work they do. In school, we tend to focus on more hypothetical design and the broader picture of a project. DMA’s work on residential and other non-residential project shows a high quality of detail and importance that is overlooked in school. I’ve always enjoyed the smaller details and quality of work and I believe DMA was the best option for me to learn more about architecture. Their work really reflects their design philosophy and work ethic and that was a big reason I wanted to join their team. I also found the size of the firm appealing, being able to work personally with the entire firm fit my style of learning more than working in a large firm. I’ve really enjoyed the type of relationships everyone has in this office. Some non-professional reasons for wanting to work for DMA relate to being here in Jackson, Wyoming. Growing up in Colorado was amazing, and getting to live in the Rocky Mountains has been something I have wanted to get back to.

4. Anything specific you’d like to share about your studies?

I am really proud of the program at Kansas State I am in. I’ve been very appreciative of Kansas State University, the College of Architecture, Planning, and Design, as well as all the supporters of my professional program. I really believe I am getting a high quality education and am constantly learning and growing as a person. I’ve also seen this among my classmates and peers, everyone pushes each other to be better designers and are constantly supportive of everyone. I believe the atmosphere among the classmates, peers, friends, professors, and administration is unmatched and I am proud to be a part of it.

5. What will you be helping us with? 

I plan on taking advantage of every opportunity given to me here at DMA. I hope to make the most of my experience and help positively impact everyone in the office. My goal is to take what I will learn and apply it later in my professional career.

I will also be working on a research thesis during my internship for school. The topic of this research should not only benefit my academic career but also DMA. Due to the high impact of the climate and environment of the area, I plan on researching an aspect of design within extreme climates like here in Jackson. Hopefully my research will not only benefit my academic career, but also DMA and others who work in this area.

6. Is anything surprising you working in a business vs. a school environment?

Yes, definitely. As mentioned earlier, school focuses on the broader scope of a project. There isn’t usually a concern about budget, material choices, or working alongside others in this profession like engineers, contractors & subcontractors, and owners. Being exposed to a business environment has really helped me understand the logistics and reality of architecture. In school, there is a common language that can easily be understood by everyone; both visual and verbal. This allows us to be overly creative and not worry about external clarity. In the real world, not everyone speaks the same language. Consistent and clear work is something DMA really prides themselves on and learning their language has changed how I think about architecture and how to communicate it to others not in the business. I’ve really learned how important it is, not only to get the design across to everyone, but to create an environment that establishes new relationships. That’s another really important thing I’ve learned more about, and I think DMA is extremely successful with this.

7. Tell us about a challenging project you worked on and feel pleased with.

A challenging project I have worked on was this past semester (Fall 2021) in my Architectural Design Studio V at Kansas State. Under Professor Chad Schwartz, we were tasked with researching, designing, and detailing a co-housing complex for domestic violence survivors in Topeka, Kansas. This project had a program of 10 residential units, a community area, administration space, a community daycare, and a secondary public program. It was a semester long project that required both professional and empathetic maturity. Because of the sensitivity of the topic, understanding the user was vital. Over the course of the design, I learned more about how to design for people, rather than to create interesting architecture which I found really beneficial as a designer. This project challenged me to think from other’s perspectives and design in a way that was not only secure, but also healing and inviting. Working with domestic violence advocate and expert Margaret Hobart was also another great experience, her insight on balance between rehabilitation and personal growth among survivors allowed everyone’s designs to improve dramatically. It has been by far my favorite project in school and I feel my work really reflected the work I put in. After just a few weeks here at DMA, I have really wanted to revisit the project and improve from what I have learned.

8. What's your favorite social media platform?

My favorite social media platform is Instagram or Twitter. I enjoy sports a lot, so I mostly use it for keeping up with my favorite teams. I am not very active when it comes to posting publically but I do enjoy using it.

9. What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

In my free time, I really enjoy watching sports (specifically my school’s teams) especially football and basketball. I also enjoy going to K-State Football, Basketball, and Women’s soccer games and other university events. I also enjoy playing sports and spending time with friends. I am also a big fan of media and film. I love Star Wars and Marvel and spend a lot of time watching and learning about that. History is another big interest of mine, I enjoy watching historically based shows and documentaries and have a passion for learning about ancient civilizations, comparative religion, and cultures. I have three dogs and a cat, so I also spend quite a bit of time around animals! I enjoy archery, fishing, hunting, and spending time outdoors as well.

10. Anything else you’d like to share?

I’m excited to get to know everyone here at DMA and enjoy my time in Jackson!