Meet Kyndra Trevino-Scott of Cuningham Group Architecture in East Phoenix

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I always knew I was going to get a masters degree. My mom wanted me to be a doctor growing- anything less than that seemed to be a disappointment. So the first semester of my freshman year when I dropped my biology class, I thought I became a failure. I realized I absolutely hated biology, yet I was trying to find every loophole to still become a physician (including going abroad to study medicine). It wasn’t until my second semester of my sophomore year that I finally decided to study something I was interested in.

I was lucky enough to go to school on the Big Island of Hawai’i. There I graduated with honors in Natural Science, a minor in geology and certificate in environmental science. I even went home to California an entire semester early.

But I was still a failure. I was a student-athlete who graduated early, with honors, and yet I was not going to be a doctor. So I gave up. I remembered the reason I was successful was because I studied something I had passion for. Living on the island taught me how much the built and non built environment impacts us, our society, and our culture. So with a week and a half of preparation, I applied to graduate school for a Masters Degree in Architecture. And I got in.

Arizona was completely different than Hawaii- the classes were project-based, the monsoons and dust storms came out of nowhere, and the air is dry as Hell. Yet I fell in love. Maybe not with the major (at first) but with the people and the landscape. I fell in love learning about sustainable design, how to interact with people who knew nothing about sports, about a climate which can only dream of water. I fell in love with Arizona. And that made me want to stay.

So this year I decided to do what made me happy. I decided to be proactive and stay in a field dominated by men. And a field where I am one of the few minorities encouraging change. And for some wild, unforeseen reason, Cuningham Group let me through their doors. And being here with people whose vision is similar to my own makes my heart fuller every day.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No part of this process has been easy.

Not one step. For the first two years, I questioned if I was made for this. Basically my entire career as a masters student.

Honestly, it was my stubbornness, which kept me in the program. Otherwise, I would have dropped out. The mental exhaustion is draining. Watching classmates cry in the bathrooms after bad reviews, sleep under their desks during studio and have anxiety attacks during finals makes me loathe the school system in general. I watch people nearly kill themselves for an A. And for someone who can get caught up in the moment, I promised myself to never pull an all-nighter and to accept the B grade if that means I got more then 20 hours of sleep that week.

Cuningham Group Architecture – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am honored to be an intern at Cuningham Group Architecture. Currently, I am working on a LEED project- how perfect for my nerdy, environmental self! I am beyond proud of the team. Their creativity, their work ethic, and their patience teach me more than simply Revit every day.

Cuningham is a culture. We provide support, encouragement, and guidance. We can all learn something. It is the best type of classroom I have been exposed to.

We always love to ask about the support network – have there been people, perhaps mentors or advisors, who have played a big role in your success?
It is amazing how many people have helped me get here. All of my grandparents and siblings, aunts and uncles. Dear friends who keep inviting me to events just so I feel included, and of course my mentors, Jenna U., Heather C., Tracie S., and Varnell S. They are truly the most genuine and kind people I could dream of working next to. And my parents, who tell me they are proud of me and they got me if I fall, every day.