Clio Macrakis

How did you get interested in your field?
I really enjoyed urban planning classes in college because of the interdisciplinary nature of the field, and the opportunity to strengthen community through the design of public space. I later discovered the discipline of Landscape Architecture and think it's a great way to combine my interests in ecology, geology, engineering, and design of public land.

What was your background prior to coming to Penn?
I worked for five years before starting this program; I sailed aboard a traditionally-rigged wooden schooner in Baltimore teaching ecology, taught in a fourth grade classroom on Long Island, worked for a residential General Contractor on Cape Cod, and interned with a residential Landscape Architect also on Cape Cod.

Why did you choose Penn?
I was struck by how faculty interacted with each other at Penn, they all seemed willing and eager to talk to one another. I also felt that Penn's program is less conceptual and more technical than some of the other private universities, while still providing a foundation in drawing and graphic design.

What has been your favorite class so far?
Workshop. We have Workshop all day one day a week, and half of the weeks involve field trips to various natural areas around New Jersey and Pennsylvania where we examine plant communities and practice sketching in the field. On-campus classes involve lectures on geologic context of the field trips and collaborative representation assignments.

What are you learning right now that will help you in the future?
Right now I am learning the fundamentals of design and trying to figure out where I want to go after school.

What do you like best about Philadelphia?
There are so many things to do in the city! Lots of independent restaurants and stores, farmers markets, bars, festivals, etc.

What kinds of activities and/or organizations are you involved in?
I am one of the founding members of Weitzman Gardeners. We are a group of students interested in volunteering at park/tree maintenance around the city, networking with horticulturists, and sharing the joy of plants with the Weitzman community.

What are your career ambitions?
I am interested in climate resiliency and land management at a regional scale, working for a nonprofit or government organization. I am also drawn to climate resiliency projects in cities.