Students Gain Valuable Experience and Connections through Externship Program

Over spring break, several students participated in the college’s externship program. Externships are supported by the Center for Careers, Life, and Service (CLS) and give students an opportunity to explore various career paths by shadowing and learning from an alum in that field. This year, two students—Cecily Hunter ’29 and Molly Ryan ’27—participated in a virtual externship program with Boston Architectural College faculty member Curt Lamb ’64. 

Lamb, following his graduation from Grinnell, earned a Master of Architecture degree at Harvard and a Ph.D. in political science from Yale. He has taught at several institutions of higher education, including Wellesley and the University of Connecticut and published books in political science and design. In addition, Lamb has worked at multiple major Boston architecture firms, and with his wife established Pierce Lamb Architects, a mid-size architectural practice with a broad base of governmental, institutional and private clients. Alongside these accomplishments, Lamb has served as a recurring extern host—providing undergraduates such as Hunter and Ryan with mentorship in architecture, urban design and planning, sustainable design, interior design and landscape architecture.

Lamb said, “In our recent Externship, students exploring urban design and architecture designed small scale interventions to promote community on the Grinnell campus. The results, creative and thoughtful, reminded me of how the Externship program has expanded my community to include the bright perspectives of Grinnell undergraduates.”

Hunter, a first-year student at Grinnell majoring in physics, and Ryan, a third year studying psychology and environmental studies, both reflected on their experiences as externs. 

Hunter shared, “A core aspect of this experience was that I engaged in a 'Sketch Design Project', wherein I designed a temporary, physical structure for Grinnell’s campus with the purpose to promote community. I am sincerely grateful for this opportunity to participate in this wonderful experience which has helped provide guidance for pursuing the field of Structural Engineering.”

Ryan shared, “One of the most rewarding aspects of the externship experience was receiving Curt's mentorship on the design process of a proposed community intervention on the Grinnell campus. Curt guided Cecily and me through the creative design thinking process, technical edits, and physical modeling process of our proposed interventions. It was special to be able to produce something that had started as a mere concept at the beginning of the program.”

Lamb, Hunter, and Ryan’s experiences are a testament to the value of the externship program as a way to strengthen student and alumni connections while also supporting Grinnellians in their career exploration and development.