Architecture was always her calling – she just didn’t know it yet
When North Carolina Central University (NCCU) junior Tamera Anderson first stepped onto campus, she wasn’t sure where her studies would take her. But one decision, stopping by a table at a campus majors fair, sparked a journey that would lead her across the country and into the world of architecture.
Anderson, an art major with a pre-architecture concentration, admits that her choice to attend NCCU was initially a practical one.
“Honestly, I came to Central because they offered me the Soaring Eagle Scholarship,” she said. “They gave me the most money, and who wants student debt?”
Originally from Hopkins, South Carolina, and raised in Greensboro, North Carolina, Anderson arrived at NCCU as an undecided major. During her first year, she focused on general education courses until a spring majors fair changed everything.
“I was just walking around when I stopped by the art department table,” she said. “That’s where I met (Associate) Professor Scott Singeisen, who introduced me to the new pre-architecture concentration. He handed me a flyer, and that’s really where it started.”
Hands-On Inspiration
Her curiosity grew when she joined a firm tour at Perkins & Will, a renowned architectural firm in downtown Durham.
“I loved it. Seeing the work up close, hearing about projects, and talking with people in the field; it clicked. I thought, ‘This is something I could do.’”
Since that visit, Anderson has immersed herself in every opportunity the program offers, from job shadowing at Evoke Studios, where she toured active renovation sites on NCCU’s campus, to helping build connections between the university and local architectural firms.
“I was reaching out to professionals, setting up visits, just trying to build my communication skills and get experience,” she said.
Recognition on a National Stage
Her persistence paid off.
Over the summer, Anderson applied for a competitive travel scholarship through The Masonry Society and won. The award covered her full expenses to attend the organization’s annual architecture conference in Oklahoma City.
“I got like five emails in a row saying, ‘Congratulations, you’re going to Oklahoma City,’” she said. “When I got back to campus, my professors and classmates were congratulating me. It really meant a lot, it showed they saw how hard I’d been working.”
In October, Anderson and her team, composed of students from colleges across the country, earned ‘Best Presentation’ honors at The Masonry Society’s Student Bridge Competition. Teams were challenged to design and construct a masonry bridge or arch with scaled-down blocks. Along with bragging rights, she and her team received $25 Amazon gift cards.
“That moment was surreal and I was the only student there from Central,” she said. “So, I wanted to make sure I was professional but still myself. I wanted to represent well.”
Thriving and Dreaming Big
Her professors have taken notice of her growth.
“Tamera is an active participant in the program and an engaged volunteer in her community,” said Scott Singeisen, associate professor of architecture. “She embodies the spirit of what we’re building here: creativity, discipline and purpose.”
Now in her junior year, Anderson finds herself thriving in the small, close-knit environment of NCCU’s Department of Art program. She also serves as vice president of the university’s student chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects.
“Some of my classes only have two students,” she said. “That means my professors really get to know me; they push me, challenge me and give me one-on-one feedback. I know I’m learning and growing every day.”
Looking ahead, Anderson dreams of owning her own architecture firm and designing buildings for college campuses.