GT ALUMNI
The Global Track Alumni page celebrates the students and graduates who have shaped the program through their diverse experiences, research, and design work. It serves as a growing network connecting past and present cohorts, highlighting where alumni have gone after the program and how their time in the Global Track has influenced their academic, professional, and personal journeys around the world.
GT2
Michael Feo
Global track provides a wonderful experience to learn in two of the largest building economies in the world. My experience working and learning in another culture has been paramount to my success and ability to take complexity and distill into simplicity.
While completing the program I ended up opening my first company which provided drafting and design service in navel architecture, manufacturing, and architecture.
After graduation I received my first license in California and now hold licenses in Tennessee, Nevada, Texas, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Currently I am the Architecture Manager for Amentum Nuclear Projects and Consulting and am co-owner of an architecture firm Olivo Architecture PC where we have worked on industrial, federal, retail, entertainment, civic buildings, and residential. My education and professional experience has taught me form follows functions, and functions follows operations.
My achievements are a testament to those that have taught me. Thank you to all of the staff, professors, and mentors from Global Track.
Stephanie Clark
The Dual Degree program was instrumental in my life, both on a professional front and on a personal one. I would highly recommend the program to anyone interested in architecture and has an interest in travel and/or different cultures.
Since graduating I became a licensed architect, with an NCARB Certificate (currently holding Hawaii and Nevada Licenses) and started two companies. What started as a school project in Clark's Global Business Practice Course turned into our first company, Oahu Drafters LLC. That eventually morphed into our current architecture firm, Olivo Architecture PC. I also work as a Senior Architect at Bechtel, Inc in Knoxville, TN. My experience and achievements with the program has helped me find my oh little niche in nuclear architecture with a focus in life safety and code analysis.
On the personal side, I met my husband (and business partner) through the Dual Degree Program. We now have a family of our own and we both have made lifelong friends from our time in China and Hawaii. Jin Wen came to our wedding and we even met up with Magi on our Honeymoon in Australia.
GT3
Tristan Bassingthwaighte
The Dual Degree program offered an incredible opportunity to experience architecture and urban design in China firsthand. Beyond visiting places like the Great Wall, smaller historic towns, and even Mongolia, the program provided opportunities to engage directly with local communities and real-world design challenges.
One of the highlights was working with local officials in a historic town outside Shanghai to redesign the town around challenges they were actively facing. The project brought classroom learning into a real-world context and gave us the chance to see how architecture and planning could directly impact a community.
The practicums offered another level of professional experience. I spent my time in Beijing working on a large-scale eco-city project that incorporated everything from green infrastructure and apartment design to transportation. We also toured projects designed by Pu Miao, including his wetlands preserve, giving us the chance to see innovative approaches to sustainable urban development firsthand.
Just as valuable was the international community at Tongji. Students came from all over the world, creating an experience that felt like several study-abroad programs combined into one. Between the design projects, professional experiences, cultural excursions, local food, and the opportunity to learn Mandarin, the program provided a unique combination of academic, professional, and cultural immersion.
GT4
Jaeho Choi
I am an assistant architect and urban planner with a passion for extreme environment architecture, digital twins, and disaster preparedness. I earned my Doctorate in Architecture from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where I focused on designing for extreme environments. My master’s capstone project, “HOLOʻĀINA: Digital Twin of Hawaiʻi,” involved using machine vision for disaster damage assessment. I have gained valuable international experience in architecture and urban planning, and I am committed to leveraging innovative technology to address real-world challenges.
GT6
Marcos Cruz Ortiz
GT8
Bruce White
Participating in the Global Track Program was one of the most enriching experiences of my academic journey, and I whole-heartedly recommend it to any student who is passionate about architecture and looking to challenge themselves in this rigorous and immersive program.
Shanghai itself is the perfect backdrop for architectural study with its mix of cutting-edge modern skyscrapers and preserved historic buildings. Shanghai and Honolulu are two of the best cities in the world when it comes to the fusion of Eastern and Western influences and culture, yet those influences manifest so distinctly between the locales. Having the opportunity to study at both Tongji University and the University of Hawaii provides an opportunity to comprehensively explore the intersections of contemporary design, cultural heritage, urban development and natural landscapes in a way that I feel couldn’t be achieved by only studying one institution or the other.
The program provides the opportunity to interact with peers from diverse backgrounds, creating an environment that encourages collaboration and idea exchange. Living abroad and immersing myself in the culture expanded my perspective and enhanced my adaptability—qualities that have been proven valuable in professional architecture practice.
In conclusion, the Global Track Program offers an exceptional blend of technical training, professional experiences, cultural immersion, and competition opportunities. The comprehensive approach not only strengthens architectural and design skills but also fosters a deeper understanding of diverse global perspectives.
My Tran
I participated in the Global Track Dual Degree Program at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and Tongji University, an experience that expanded both my perspective and approach to architecture.
Our cohort had the privilege of traveling to China before the pandemic, making our experience especially memorable. The program challenged me to step outside my comfort zone and fully immerse myself in the local culture and everyday life. Living in China meant adapting to new routines from navigating the subway and shopping at local markets to exploring a remarkable range of architectural styles spanning different eras.
Each experience became an opportunity to learn beyond the classroom. Living and studying in a different cultural environment broadened my understanding of how culture, context, and daily interactions shape architecture and urban design. It strengthened my ability to adapt, observe, and engage with different ways of life, while encouraging me to think more critically about the relationship between people, place, and the built environment.
Most importantly, the experience continues to influence my design approach. It reinforced my commitment to creating culturally responsive spaces that are thoughtfully connected to the communities they serve. My time in China was invaluable, not only as an academic experience, but as an opportunity for personal growth and a deeper understanding of architecture through a global lens. I am grateful for the experience and hope to return to China in the future.
other team members
@UHM and Tongji
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