Bag of Toys to Toys for Tots

Posted: Fri, Dec 13, 2024

The Knoxville Chapter collected toys at our annual Christmas Party for Toys for Tots. This has been a tradition in the chapter since Curtis Rosenbaun served as Chapter President from 1996 - 1998. A Santa bag full of toys was delivered to the Alcoa Hwy Marine Base to the arms of a grateful Marine. He said they will be distributing the toys to needy children the weekend of December 21. Thank you for helping make a child's Christmas a wonderful delight!

Come to the Chapter Christmas Party

Posted: Mon, Dec 02, 2024

Deck yourself in your favorite Christmas attire and join the Knoxville Chapter at our annual Christmas celebration on December 11, 2024. The party will be at Brent Williams' office at Advantage Solutions. Party starts at 6 PM. Heavy hors d'oeuvres will be served.

Please bring an unwrapped toy for our Toys for Tots donations, a wrapped gift for the White Elephant Gift Exchange (one per attendee), and BYOB.

You must RSVP. There is no charge for the CSI member or their plus one.

You will receive a map by email from the Chapter.

Denver Chapter's Outreach to Knoxville CSI Student

Posted: Fri, Nov 15, 2024

By Angeline Guifarro, CSI Staff

When fourth-year UTK architecture student, Karina Kane, faced the challenge of outdated online images for her Denver-based project, she didn't let it hold her back. Karina, a part-time team member in the Kelso-Regen Associates mechanical engineering office and a dedicated CSI Knoxville student member, knew more accurate site data would make a world of difference. Taking a leap of faith, she reached out to the Denver CSI Chapter, sharing her journey with CSI and how its network of professionals had been a guiding force in her career. 

My name is Karina Kane, I am a fourth-year architecture student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a student member of the CSI Knoxville Chapter. Being a part of CSI has been one of the greatest decisions in my life. The people I have been connected with, by being involved with the Knoxville, Nashville, and even Chattanooga chapters have taught me so much valuable information that I will carry with me for the rest of my career. When I first got involved, the CSI community welcomed me with open arms. Now, they have made a wonderful effort to help me grow in this profession by teaching me from their own experiences. I have to say, this community has the most hard-working, passionate, caring, intelligent, and creative people I've ever met and I am so honored to be part of CSI.  

With CSI being such a compassionate organization, I am reaching out about a potential sponsorship through the Denver, CO Chapter for a one-day site visit located at 1338 N Emerson St, Denver, CO, 80218. This site visit would be for an integration school project (a project for fourth-year students only) which I am tackling this semester through the College of Architecture at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Not only would visiting the site help to provide critical information including photos and written accounts, but having that contextual experience will give me a leg up in the project that is being submitted to a national competition (brief attached below). I was just presented the brief yesterday, with the final project for class due before Thanksgiving, November 20th specifically, meaning visiting the site would have to occur in the next month. I truly appreciate what CSI has been able to do for me and how beneficial being a part of the organization is to my career. If possible, working out a date to visit the site and meet you with the Denver, CO Chapter, would be more than awesome!  

Thank you so much and I am looking forward to hearing from you soon! 

Her message captured the attention of Denver's CSI board. So much so that, in less than a day, the board agreed to sponsor her travel and provide her a guest room for her time in Denver. She received a tour of the project site, invaluable for gathering the insights and context she needs to excel in her project as a college senior. Karina's outreach also sparked a unique opportunity to connect with Denver CSI members, who were eager to share their expertise and experiences with this a young professional. 

Karina's initiative and CSI's response are a testament to the power of community, mentorship, and a shared passion for the design and construction fields. Her trip highlights not just the support of CSI, but the collaborative spirit that drives us all forward. 

Thinking about going for the CDT? Read This!

Posted: Thu, Aug 29, 2024

by Michael Houle, CSI-EP, CDT

I had thought I was done with test-taking and studying—college long behind me, those long nights with Red Bull as my only company, and the stress surrounding a timed test. So why would I put myself through the stress again to obtain my CDT certification? Am I crazy? Maybe a little bit, but hear me out.

For those of you who don’t know me, I'm the Business Development Manager and Specification Writer for The Architecture Collaborative (TAC). My job duties mainly involve marketing, networking, business development, request for proposal responses, and contract administration for some of our projects for Public Housing Authority clients.

Since I work at an architecture firm, you would think I have an architecture degree. Surprise, you’d be wrong! Prior to starting at TAC, I was an adjunct lecturer in the English Department at UTK. How I went from getting my bachelor’s and master’s degree in English Literature to working in the A/E industry is a long, twisting story that I don’t have time to tell in this article, so pull me aside another time to ask about it.

All of this to say, I had zero knowledge of the A/E industry before joining TAC two years ago, so taking the CDT was one of my goals to further my knowledge, cement myself in the industry, and gain a better understanding of how to write strong specifications.

When I reached out earlier this year, the CSI Knoxville chapter purchased the official CDT study materials for me to use. The chapter now has these materials for all members to use, which is fantastic! I printed the study guides and blocked time on my calendar every Monday morning to spend solely on studying.

After two weeks of studying, I was shocked to realize that I was already familiar with most of the material. I had expected the study process to be arduous and reminiscent of my long Red Bull nights (I promise this isn’t a Red Bull sponsored article). But I quickly discovered that apart from the niche financing details surrounding project conception, I had already picked up on most of the material just from being in the industry for two years.

So long story short, apart from those first two weeks in February, I didn’t study at all for the CDT.

Wait, why are you getting your pitchforks? Is that Gary Bergeron with a torch? Suzan Jordan, put that sword down! I can explain! I promise I’m not arrogant!

I definitely wouldn’t call the exam "easy," necessarily, but it is crafted to test your knowledge and doesn't try to trick you. For me, even though I am extremely new to the industry, I had no issue passing the exam on the first try. So try not to overthink it! Skim through the study guide, do a few practice sections, and try to identify the gaps in your knowledge. The rest will come naturally to you. Also, try Googling “CDT Exam Flashcards” and going through a few. Most of these are pulled from past exam questions, and I found it helpful in identifying the areas I didn’t know.

Overall, I would definitely recommend taking the CDT exam if you have considered pursuing a certification in the past. My main piece of advice is to trust your gut. If you've been in the field for a few years, you most likely know a good chunk of the material on the exam. 

I'm thankful for the CSI Knoxville chapter for embracing me as a fledgling spec writer. I can't wait to grow my career alongside these wonderful folk. And if you see me at any upcoming monthly CSI meetings, come up to me and tell me your favorite spec section! Also, since Kathy is obsessed with my cat Venus, here's a photo of her. 

New Member News - Briley Saiyasak, CSI-EP

Posted: Wed, Jul 24, 2024

Let me introduce Briley Saiyasak, one of our newest members. She is an emerging professional in the design and construction industry. She has recently joined Jacobs in their Nuclear Projects and Consulting department providing design services to the Department of Energy.

 Briley came to UT in 2017 from Mount Juliet, just east of Nashville. She graduated in 2022 from the UT College of Architecture & Design with a Bachelor of Architecture and a minor in Industrial Design. She met her husband, Caleb, here and decided to stay in Knoxville.

 I asked her why she chose this field. ” Growing up, I was always making things and loved being creative. I chose architecture because I felt it would give me an avenue to express creativity while also getting to work closely with people. I also love figuring out how things work and learning about the minute details of things, so the more technical side of architecture, scratches that itch for me as well!”

 Briley learned about CSI when she attended the CSI Products Show in 2022.  When she was asked why she joined the chapter, she explained, “ to learn as much as possible and to form connections that help make me a better architect. CSI seems like an organization that promotes practical ways to improve our industry, and I feel like I’d be crazy not to want to be a part of that.” She said that she wants to pursue her CDT credential after she completes her ARE exams, which she has already started.

 Briley also has an interest in working with students at UT. “I never knew a student chapter even existed when I was in school, and I feel like growing student interest early in our careers is a great way to teach students about the profession and what it really means to be a well-rounded architect.”

 During her down time, she enjoys reading – “no genre is off-limits”, painting, embroidery, or sewing. Back in middle Tennessee Briley has lots of family including three younger sisters, who are triplets. Here in Knoxville, she and Caleb are enjoying their golden doodle named Nutmeg and are expecting a second doodle, Pepper. “We are excited because then we’re going to have a couple of ‘Spice Girls’!!!

 As you can tell, this young architect is bubbling over with energy and enthusiasm. Reach out and introduce yourself at our next CSI event.