From Apple II to AU: An Architect's Journey from Drafting Boards to Digital Workflows

I didn't set out to become a college instructor. My story begins long before that, in the early 1980s, when my uncle introduced me to an Apple II computer. As a fourth-grader, I was instantly hooked. When computers began appearing in schools, I was the kid teachers and classmates turned to for help. At the same time, I had a deep love for art. In sixth grade, my elementary school teachers voted me artist of the year.

My father, recognizing my interests in mechanical things and art, suggested I might enjoy mechanical drafting. I was immediately drawn to it when I tried it in junior high. I quickly discovered I had a knack for visualizing objects in space. Drafting allowed me to break down ideas visually, converting 3D concepts into 2D representations and vice versa. Throughout high school, I took every drafting, wood shop, metal shop, and building trades course I could find while still active in art classes. In 9th grade, I won the citywide school art show with a digital art collection created on a Mac using an early paint program and clipart.

Then, in 10th grade, something happened that would define the rest of my career: my drafting teacher got a PC with AutoCAD version 10. He learned it through night classes at the local technical college and passed that knowledge on to us. I absorbed it quickly and soon surpassed my teacher's skill level. He encouraged me to run with it.

That passion carried me to the architecture program at UW-Milwaukee, where design thinking, sketching, and hand drafting were emphasized over digital tools. While computers were allowed, using them for final presentations was still looked down upon. I used AutoCAD anyway. I could produce professional-quality documents and perspectives in a fraction of the time it took others to do the same by hand.

My first job out of college was at a high-end residential firm in Illinois. Hand sketches were essential there, but production work was done in AutoCAD. I was asked to transfer their customizations from a DOS-based AutoCAD to the new Windows-based version. I accepted the task even though I wasn't entirely sure how to do it. Armed with manuals and CAD magazines like CADalyst and CADENCE, I figured it out. My boss was impressed that he didn't need to hire or pay a consultant.

From then on, I became the go-to CAD specialist at each firm I worked for. I understood how to solve problems, streamline workflows, and maximize the software's potential. I recognized underutilized possibilities in tools like AutoCAD and Architectural Desktop beyond walls, doors, and windows that most offices were too busy to implement. I didn't realize it then, but I was already acting as a teacher through my passion for learning and sharing my experiences with coworkers.

A chance conversation changed everything. At my cousin's wedding, I was seated next to someone from the Department of Workforce Development. I shared my AutoCAD background, and he said, "If you know AutoCAD, you'll always have a job. You should be teaching it." That comment stuck with me. I blindly sent resumes and cover letters to local technical colleges and universities in hopes of landing a part-time job teaching AutoCAD. ITT Technical Institute responded, first inviting me to join their advisory board and then hiring me to teach AutoCAD one night a week. I did that for three years while working full-time and raising a young family.

Eventually, I paused the evening teaching to focus on passing the Architect Registration Exam. I earned my license in 2005 and have maintained it since then.

By 2007, I had spent five years at a firm and felt undervalued. I accepted a new job that offered a raise and more vacation. I was happy. Then my wife, who works in education, spotted a job posting for an architecture instructor at Gateway Technical College. She encouraged me to apply. I hesitated, as I had just moved to my next forever job. With some convincing, I applied, interviewed, and got the offer. I started teaching full-time in January 2008 and never looked back.

Over the past 17 years, I've grown into the role, becoming the Engineering Department Chair and serving on multiple committees outside of the classroom. I've attended Autodesk University several times and was proud to present there in 2024, earning a Top Rated Class Award with my fellow presenters, Laura Kalinowski and Amy Porter. I occasionally still work as an architect, consultant, and trainer. I annually co-author a textbook with Elliot Gindis titled Up and Running with AutoCAD, with the 2026 edition to be released this summer. I'm also pursuing an MBA to continue evolving in education and practice.

Teaching has enabled me to connect with students from diverse backgrounds and inspire the next generation of designers. Many remind me of myself: curious, creative, and ready to build something meaningful. My journey has been about embracing change, blending art with technology, and helping others see what's possible when the two come together.

I still have a deep passion for architecture and design, but my career path shows that the profession offers more than one way to contribute. Whether designing buildings, optimizing workflows, or educating future professionals, there are numerous ways to make a meaningful impact on your community through architecture.

We need to elevate the perception of the technical college graduate. Our associate degree programs don't just teach software. We offer a broad and rigorous education that includes structural mechanics, materials, building codes, and residential and commercial design. We aim to graduate students ready to contribute on day one: productive, profitable, and prepared.

I didn't plan to become a teacher. But in hindsight, every step brought me here. And I wouldn't change a thing.