James Wild

Describe the work you do. What are some of your recent and current projects that excite you? What inspires you about the future of your chosen field?
I am currently working on the O’Hare Global Terminal, leading the Wayfinding Design team and Coordinating Sustainability with the Sustainable Leadership team. It is amazing to follow the path and process of how a long-term project develops while observing how program tendencies adapt and react to technology, cultural shifts, and the fluid demands of user preferences. While aesthetics are dominantly an architect’s end game, how a building functions and operates throughout its life cycle is the true test of problem-solving for end-user experiences. The constant change is the inspiration to continually solve for with adaptive and fluid architecture.

Why did you choose Taubman College for your education?
Hailing from the Ann Arbor area, there was really no other choice as I began pursuing Architecture as a career path as early as middle school. Michigan’s academic reputation and the doors that I knew would open upon graduation were the draw for me, as well as countless others.

How did Taubman College prepare you for your career? What experiences beyond the classroom (internships, research assistantships, teaching opportunities, or other external experiences) provided additional value?
Taubman helped balance my prior building technology and construction experience with the idea of achieving architecture rather than simply building. Balancing design with technology provided the experience I continually draw from in real-world practice. The Florence Study Abroad Program through Taubman and the Office of International Programs offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience art, architecture, culture, and a sense of other place, which impassioned and installed a drive for a greater experience and influenced my eventual migration to Chicago. To put it bluntly – Michigan/Taubman is different, and if one can properly harness their opportunities given, it will prepare you for a lifelong career along whatever path you take.

How has being part of the alumni community impacted you, personally and professionally?
Beyond the extremely rewarding sense of shared experience and community we all sense in any given city, domestic or abroad – that sense of community translates into immediate connectivity, which can immediately break the ice but then can often develop into long-term friendships, alliances, or career opportunities. Being a Michigan alum is a privilege and an honor to uphold and celebrate with brethren.

What advice or important lesson would you share with someone considering Taubman College?
You get out of it what you put into it. Do not expect to be reactionary and succeed. Take the initiative and find your way with what informs you along the way. Make the school, faculty, advisors, and colleagues your resources to achieve your goals, and you will succeed.

Other thoughts, advice, or knowledge you would like to share?
Never quit. Failure is not an option. Always be honest with your own limitations. DO NOT be afraid to fail or ask for help – or at least another set of eyes. Collaboration is the key to success in life.