Design Like a Girl: Year 3 Update

Year 3 Update

Design Like a Girl

Now in its third year, Design Like a Girl continues to inspire the next generation of female designers through hands-on workshops introducing middle school students to careers in design. Held on Fridays throughout the school year at the CU Denver College of Architecture and Planning, these all-day workshops invite students to spend the day learning about design with mentors from across the Colorado architecture and design community, with Spanish-speaking mentors providing essential translation for participants for whom English is not their primary language—significantly expanding the program’s reach.

The workshops typically begin with an introductory lesson or activity in the morning, followed by an afternoon dedicated to building models inspired by the theme of the day’s workshop. Design briefs this year included an entryway for a program of the designer’s choice, a ‘she-shed’ for creativity, and an outdoor space inspired by their favorite activity. Mentors are always impressed by the imagination and thoughtfulness expressed in these projects by the young designers.

Design Like a Girl partners with Denver Public Schools to provide these workshops to students free of charge through the Spark Early Career Exploration Program, which aims to expose middle school students to professional work environments. This year, funding was also secured through an AIA Architecture Week grant for K-12 educational opportunities.  

Spark Coordinator Ivonne Miranda Correa spoke to the impact of this year’s workshops: “[The mentors] did such an amazing job demonstrating how a diversity of skills, personalities and interests can lead to meaningful and rewarding careers in the field. And just as importantly, you model what it looks like for women to support and uplift one another professionally. That gives our students the opportunity to imagine a real future for themselves and to know they can find a supportive community along the way.”

Feedback from student participants is equally strong. Model making is always the highlight of the day, but the girls also love the opportunity to get out of the classroom. Site visits this year took the girls to local design firms Rowland + Broughton and Design Workshop, as well as walking tours of Larimer Square and the 16th Street Mall.

The lead organizers of the Colorado chapter of Design Like a Girl, Sarah Goldblatt, AIA, Anna Friedrich, AIA, Ely Merheb, AIA, Dawn DiMedio, AIA, and Claire Messer, Past President of All For Women in Architecture Students, would like to thank every mentor that donated their time and creativity to inspire the future designers of the built environment.

Special thanks also to:

If you are interested in participating as a mentor next year, be on the lookout for a sign-up notice in the AIA Colorado newsletter. Recruiting for the 2026-2027 school year will begin in late summer 2026. You can also contact Sarah at sarah@sarahgoldblatt.com to be notified when mentor registration opens.

© AIA Colorado 2026