Whitney Kraus

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 a member of the New Development team at Compass and work collaboratively on new, multifamily projects across the country. I enjoy getting to use my architectural training in the context of real estate development to make homes beautiful, encourage thoughtful design and tailor the product to the everyday needs of home buyers. The markets we have projects in are numerous and include everything from super luxury condo towers in Manhattan to two-bedroom, single-family homes for first-time buyers in Austin. The variety of the project teams, design goals, market expectations and other unique variables that come along with each project keep my work interesting and challenging. I am most inspired when I hear stories about how happy the buyers are in their new homes.

Why did you choose Taubman College for your education?
Many of my family members are Michigan alumns so I grew up hearing stories of UofM and Ann Arbor. I fell in love with Taubman on a cold, rainy day when I was a junior in high school. I had already visited a number of colleges around the country and I came to Ann Arbor with my Dad for one last college tour. Dean Carter took just the two of us on a tour of the building. I loved walking through the studios, seeing the FABLab and hearing about the school. I can’t really explain it, but I knew that day that UofM and Taubman was where I wanted to be for college.

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?
The professors, studio and other design classes taught me how to think critically, question and challenge everything, express my ideas clearly in drawings, present to others with confidence, take constructive criticism in stride and more. My friends at Taubman taught me how to have fun despite being sleep-deprived, to support each other, collaborate openly and see the world in new ways.

How has being part of the alumni community impacted you, personally and professionally?
I can’t say enough good things about the UofM alumni network, both at Taubman and the larger university. I have traveled to the far corners of the world and heard someone say “Go Blue” which automatically brings a big smile to my face and amazes me every time it happens. I have also enjoyed being a member of the Alumni Council for the past 5 years. Getting to know the other council members, reconnecting with classmates, being more engaged in events at Taubman and on the larger campus, and connecting with current students have all been equally fulfilling and encouraging.

What did you like best about attending Taubman College?
Some of my most formative Taubman memories are of my time with Melissa Harris. I took her drawing class as a freshman and still remember learning what a plan and section are by cutting a bell pepper in half 2 different ways and then drawing them. What I liked best about Taubman was the strong sense of community and belonging. Since it was a smaller school, I knew the other students, the professors got a chance to know me and I made some truly incredible friends who I am still close with 20+ years later. It’s hard to describe to others the bond that you make in studio, but it’s very real.

What advice or important lesson would you share with someone considering Taubman College?
Say yes, apply, enroll, or do whatever you need to do to get to Taubman. It is a fantastic place to learn, make lifelong friends, network and, most importantly, be inspired. There is only one school in the country where you can be in studio one day and celebrate a win in the Big House with 115,000 fans the next day. Taubman is a special mix of a small school housed within a much larger school and you will benefit from the best of both worlds.

Other thoughts, advice, or knowledge you would like to share?
I hope that more students realize that a design education can serve them incredibly well in a wide variety of career and life paths. It’s similar to a business or law degree in a lot of ways in that it teaches you how to think, not how to do. Some people will become architects or urban planners in the classic sense of the professions, but many will leverage what they learn to do something totally different and be wildly successful.