EL Questionnaire 2018

Name: Alyssa Tompkins
Company: Symmes, Maini & McKee Associates
Concentration: Corporate & some K-12
College/University: Endicott College (undergraduate and graduate)
Year(s) of Graduation: 2010, 2012

What is your strongest personal quality: My ability to collaborate with others. I find that two heads are better than one, especially when trying to resolve complex design ideas or details. I like to seek out the advice of those with more and/or different experience than my own in order to gain a new viewpoint or deeper understanding. I find that when I am able to take the knowledge from them and combine it with my own thoughts and ideas, we can create the best, most purposeful design for our clients.
What skill set are you most proud of professionally?: My skills with Design Technology. I have always been great with the computer and found that I not only have the ability to quickly pick up these industry programs, but have the ability to teach them as well. This ability has pushed me to earn my Master's degree so I could teach design technology to college students. It has also allowed me to become a valuable team member at SMMA being able to assist my colleagues and be part of a visualization team helping to push the standards of design technology and rendering in the firm
What was your first thought when you woke up this morning?: I need more sleep! Being a working mom is no easy task but I love my job and my family and wouldn't trade this experience for the world.
What is your best childhood memory?: Summer camping trips with my family. My mother's side of the family is fairly large and every summer we would rent camping lots next to each other and all go camping for a week in August. I was able to spend time with my cousins biking, skating, swimming, and just having fun. Then at night we would all sit around the campfire, almost a bonfire on some nights, and make s'mores and look up at the countless stars in the sky. That camping trip was always the best part of my summer growing up.
What's your go to for de-stressing?: Snuggling with my son and taking a nap. Sometimes I just need a break and a little time to recharge.
Revit, CAD, or Sketchup?: Revit is definitely my go to program and one that I have mastered over the years.
Are you usually early or late?: I always strive to be early. I hate being late and feel really guilty when I don't make it to something on time.
What three things are in your bag?: My phone. Whether it be for work or home, I am always connected. A notepad and a pen. I find it's more cathartic to scratch off a to do list physically rather than just clearing it out of your phone. And a snack, just in case.
If you could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, what would you have a good chance at winning a medal for?: Long-distance driving. My family and my husband's family are scattered along the east coast so we spend quite a bit of time driving for holidays and family get-togethers. I also live in the North Shore and commute into the city so I spend a lot of time in the car on a daily basis.
Why did you choose to become an Interior Designer?: I was actually asking this question my freshman year of college by one of my favorite professors. Many of my projects in ID101 tended to be very artistic and he thought maybe I would be interested in being an art major rather than a design major. I told him that I love interior design because it uniquely combines the creative expression of art with the more scientific and concrete aspects of architecture. My personality is the same way. I have a rigid side that likes to be organized and plan ahead and a creative side that loves to express myself and have fun. Being a designer fits all parts of my personality and allows me to help others by bettering the spaces in which we live and work.
What is one goal you'd like to accomplish in your lifetime?: I would love to be able to travel again. During college I studied abroad in Florence then traveled Europe for a month during the summer. I had an amazing time experiencing all the history there and immersing myself in different cultures.