After taking an architectural drafting class in high school, Jillian Ciszewski realized that architecture was the career that she was meant to do. Working on a Revit project was the exact moment she realized how important architecture was to her. From then on, she continued to develop more love for the profession. She explained, “Architecture seemed to just make sense because it brought together what made me creative and technical into one playing field.”
Jillian, who is currently in the first year of her Master of Architecture degree at University of Detroit Mercy’s School of Architecture & Community Development (SACD), is the 2025 recipient of MAF’s Katherine & John Banicki Scholarship. For Jillian, receiving the scholarship is an affirmation that she is where she’s supposed to be and that people believe in her abilities. “A journey through college is not a linear path for most, and I think we all have had that moment where we ask ourselves, ‘Is this truly what I want to do with my life?’ I long to make a greater impact in my part of the world.”
The best part of Jillian’s program has been the people she has met. With SACD operating in small studios, Jillian has formed deep bonds with those she’s around and they have helped to shape her as both a designer and person. “They’re the reason I made it through the long nights for studio projects and have an abundance of memories I will continue to cherish,” she expressed. “Each student and faculty member is so different, bringing something new to the table. Yet we all share a kindred and tenacious spirit.”
What does Jillian love most about architecture? “The complexity of architecture as a profession and practice always keeps me engaged. Architecture is an all-encompassing discipline that calls for a wide array of talents and skills while welcoming exploratory, innovative thought. Great designers understand that creative strides require technical solutions and support, and no single architect has exhausted every avenue architecture has to offer.”
Detroit’s Book Tower has a special place in Jillian’s heart and is one of her favorite pieces of architecture. After taking an architecture history and theory course, she became extremely interested in learning more about Detroit’s history and its buildings, including the Book Tower. “Distinct in character, the Book Tower stands out to me in Detroit’s skyline. I took a site visit and was in awe of its grandeur after all it had been through – bankruptcy, abandonment, scrutiny. I realized why people care so much about historical preservation and that architecture is timeless and worth saving.”
When Jillian was creating her undergraduate portfolio, she realized that her favorite projects were a form of outdoor public spaces (parks, plazas, courtyards). In the future, those are the types of projects she hopes to work on. “The outdoor public realm can inspire curiosity and discovery while fulfilling innate human desires to be part of something bigger,” she said. “These spaces are opportunities to cultivate meaningful places of connection through ambitious, explorative, and creative ventures.”
As part of their MAF Scholarship application, students must include a personal statement describing their interest, experience, and plans related to architecture, and their leadership and extracurricular activities.
Jillian included her experience working with four distinctly different architectural firms, which covered pharmaceutical manufacturing, public institutions, historical preservation, and building enclosures. She has great interest in one day becoming a professor, where she would hope to inspire future architects.
She also showcased her leadership skills, where she explained her roles as a teaching assistant and chapter president of American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS). “Being a part of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) is an opportunity to be a part of something bigger. It’s about architecture students leaning on one another as we all navigate through the beginning of our careers. Great leaders are made when they trust in those around them, and I had the opportunity to lead one of the most trustworthy teams I could ask for.”
Jillian also founded and led the design-build project Movies at Mercy, a community-engagement event focused on building a stronger bond between the University of Detroit Mercy campus and its surrounding Detroit neighborhood. “We envisioned a drive-in movie event that would be activated by student-built activities and furnishings. With our dean Dan Pitera’s support, I worked with a team of students who were excited to build and help shift the trajectory of an entire community’s relationship. This event brought together university students and their Detroit neighbors together on campus.”
Students are also required to submit a personal portfolio with their application. Jillian included a school project from each year of her program and a professional project.
Her first project “FRAMEWORK” was from the fall studio of her senior year, which presented an innovation center with a ground level that welcomes public access and use. The project aimed to pursue sustainable resilience, intrigue pedestrians, and interconnect tenants from its Detroit neighborhood.
Her featured professional work was “Primrose Casework”, which she designed while working at Kraemer Design Group. The project consisted of a catalog-style compilation of casework drawings, including elevations, plans, and details that needed to be drawn. This project expanded Jillian’s knowledge about project organization and management.
Michigan Architectural Foundation’s mission is to advance awareness of how architecture enriches life. How does Jillian think architecture enriches life? “Architecture is a medium for living. The quality of architecturally designed spaces has a direct impact on quality of life. It requires real intentionality to design a place that encourages new perspectives and responds to a variety of demands. That intentionality calls for searching, testing, and a temperament that is not satisfied with the status quo. Architecture says the built environment should always be evolving, because people are always looking forward to the next best thing. Architecture manifests hope to design a better world for the people who live in it.”