Engineering Design Graphics faculty inspires students
For Mary Ann Blake (AIA), being one of the only females in her university’s architecture program was never an issue. Even now in her engineering design graphics classes, while females are still in smaller numbers compared to male students, she says she never really notices. To her, the quality of the individual’s work speaks for itself, and for Blake, that’s exactly as it should be.
Engineering design graphics professor, Mary Ann Blake (left), believes that the only thing that should set students apart is the quality of their work.
Photo credit: Andrea Vasquez, San Jacinto College marketing, public relations, and government affairs department.
“In college, there was no distinction if you were male or female, it was academic grades and perseverance that kept you in this field,” said Blake. “Everyone I knew encouraged me to do my best, and it never crossed my mind that there were any limitations because I was female. Today, about 20 percent of registered architects are women.”
Blake grew up in a home where higher education was viewed as a pathway to success. Countless news magazines were always around the house, and her love for reading was something she felt gave her an advantage when it came to learning. She had always loved drawing, and though she began as a nursing major, then pre-med, she ended up right back where it all began – drawing. However, this time it would lead to her most fulfilling career: teaching.
“When I started teaching the engineering design graphics courses, I discovered my lifelong purpose. This is a great career choice for students that like to draw and create things on the computer. It does take determination and curiosity beyond classroom learning to get ahead faster. I encourage my students to visit construction sites, libraries, model homes, and take guided tours to learn more. Inside malls and big shopping stores are a wealth of information just by looking at the lighting, exposed ceiling fixtures, and interior selection of materials. They are surrounded by opportunities to explore,” added Blake.
Students in Blake’s engineering design graphics internship class get hands-on work experience using CAD (Computer Aided Drafting) software in many different industry areas all around Houston. They get opportunities to create mechanical parts to be manufactured, or support drafting for the architectural, civil, electrical, instrumentation, piping, or structural fields.
Like most STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) professors, Blake agrees that a lot of career education should be done with students at an early age. “I think more career presentations should be held for middle and high schoolers. By exposing these age groups, especially younger girls, to the different possibilities of a STEM career, they can make better decisions for the direction of their education and career paths. It’s important for a woman to have a career she loves. It allows her to rise to her potential and help society.”
– Andrea Vasquez