Professional Profile: Melissa Roy - 2017

Length of employment: 1 Year (at Tecton), 15 Years (in the industry)

What does your firm do? Tecton Architects is a multi-specialist architectural, interior design and master planning firm, with a primary design focus on academic, healthcare, advanced technology, corporate, mixed-use and civic environments.     

What was your first position/job in the A/E/C Industry? Executive assistant at Shawmut Design & Construction

Why and/or how did you decide on the A/E/C Industry? After graduating from college, moving across the country (and back), and serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA, I was torn between pursuing a PhD in political theory or going to law school.  I decided to take a year off to experience life in Boston.  I had a friend from college who worked at Shawmut and encouraged me to join the firm.  I fell in love with the culture of the industry.

What projects have you participated on? Putnam Vocational Technical School, Headquarters for Jovial Foods and Symmetry Partners, and projects at University of Hartford, Amherst College, Yale University, Baystate Medical Center and Fairview Hospital.

Advice/Keys to success: Focus on people! Ask and listen. Promote others. Support other women.  Understand that the happiest people make no distinction between work and play…for me, I am always doing both.