Leslie Avila is a Senior Construction Science student interning with The Beck Group in Dallas. Avila works closely with the superintendent on the floor on punch list items and scheduling.
Avila has learned a variety of skills during her internship, including confidence and leadership.
“I hope to have gained self-confidence in asking for what is required and needed. At times it’s nerve-wracking being the youngest one on site and having to give tasks to older people.”
– Leslie Avila
North Lobby at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, TX
At Gibbs College of Architecture, Avila says everything she learns in classes can be applied to the workforce when she graduates.
“Everything I have learned in school I have applied to my internship, which helps me see that I need to focus the best I can in school so I can connect the dots when I graduate.”
Avila says her favorite part of the program is the ability to work with people and think critically.
“Working together as a whole gets the job done,” she said.
“What I like most is the ability of working with people. I love the critical thinking that is required on the job site.”
Avila has worked on many projects during her time at Gibbs College of Architecture, but her favorite is called “Bid Day.”
“This acts as a real life scenario of what you would need to do during a Bid Day. This showed us all of the work that actual goes into winning a project.”
Mosaic art made in Italy before being cut into parts for shipping then made on-site.
For incoming students, she says going to the career fair and visiting professors during their office hours is the best advice she can give.
“Go to the career fairs as early as possible. You learn so much from internships and it makes you more marketable once you graduate. Also, go to office hours. Professors are more than willing to help when you ask for it.”
Photos provided by Leslie Avila
On April 24, 2026, the Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture hosted its annual Graduate Student Showcase, a celebration of research, design innovation, and creative exploration across all graduate programs within the College.
The Gibbs College of Architecture celebrates fifth-year architecture student Haley Praytor, who has been recognized at the national level for her design work. In early March, Haley received a Graduate Division Award of Merit for her submission to the 2025 Metal Building Manufacturers Association student design competition.
Ronald Frantz Jr., emeritus professor, has been named a 2026 Mary Means Leadership Award recipient, the highest honor presented by Main Street America. The award was announced at the Main Street Now Conference in Tulsa, recognizing leaders who advance preservation-based economic development and community revitalization.
