KENNESAW, Ga. | Mar 24, 2026

Raised in Rio de Janeiro, Gabriela de Almeida grew up surrounded by the vibrant culture and architecture of one of Brazil’s most iconic cities. It was there that she developed an early interest in architecture thanks to her mother, who once brought home a floor plan of her bedroom.

“I remember coloring it and asking my mom what it was,” de Almeida said. “From that moment, I started drawing floor plans of my friends’ houses and imagining what my own space could look like.”

Now an architecture student in KSU’s College of Architecture and Construction Management, de Almeida has since built a supportive community on campus. As an event director, she helps organize programming that brings architecture students together, creates opportunities for professional growth, and strengthens her leadership skills. She has also contributed to award-winning design work, helping lead a team that won an international architecture competition.

While researching architecture programs in the U.S., de Almeida focused her search on schools in the South and discovered Kennesaw State. The University’s location in metro Atlanta and scholarship opportunities made the decision easy for her. She arrived in January 2022 and quickly realized that adjusting to life in a new country would take time.

“It was cold, and I didn’t have a support system here yet,” she said. “But every day I experienced something new.”

Determined to build connections, she applied for a job at the Horace W. Sturgis Library, where she has worked since May 2022.

“That’s where I found my first community,” she said.

Once she entered the architecture program, de Almeida said she quickly fell in love with the studio environment and collaborative culture among students and faculty. Studio courses, which form the core of the program, require students to spend long hours developing design concepts, collaborating with peers, and presenting their ideas to faculty for critique.

Her efforts have been appreciated by the faculty and staff of CACM.

“Gabriela embodies the creativity, leadership, and global perspective we strive to cultivate in our students,” CACM Dean Hazem Rashed-Ali said. “Her passion for architecture and commitment to supporting her peers demonstrate the kind of impact our students can have both within the college and in the profession.”

De Almeida credits several faculty members with shaping her experience in the program, including Tim Frank, Arezou Shafaghat, Jereme Smith, Marietta Monaghan, and Peter Pittman.

Outside the classroom, she serves as event director for the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS), organizing workshops, lectures, and professional development opportunities for fellow students. In the role, she works closely with student leaders and faculty advisers to plan events that connect students with industry professionals and provide opportunities to explore different career paths within architecture.

“I’m really passionate about education,” she said. “Being involved in AIAS allows me to impact other students directly.”

One of her proudest accomplishments has been helping expand the chapter’s Beaux Arts Ball, a traditional architecture celebration that brought together about 80 students, faculty, and professionals last fall. The event created a space for the architecture community to connect, celebrate the semester, and build relationships beyond the classroom.

De Almeida has also gained experience through design competitions. She helped lead a team of KSU students in the TerraViva architecture competition with a project titled When Walls Roam, which focused on adaptive reuse and historic preservation. The proposal explored ways to transform historic structures into spaces that serve modern communities while preserving architectural character. The project also received the Community’s Choice Award in TerraViva’s Venetian Villa challenge, drawing support and recognition from viewers around the world.

“I’m really interested in taking historic buildings and giving them new life,” she said. “Adaptive reuse allows us to respect history while designing for the future.”

After graduating from KSU’s five-year architecture program, de Almeida hopes to become a licensed architect working on adaptive reuse projects and eventually return to academia as a professor.

“Professors played such an important role in shaping my journey,” she said. “I want to have that same impact on future students.”

For de Almeida, the decision to study at Kennesaw State has been transformative.

“I truly believe coming to Kennesaw State was the right decision,” she said. “I couldn’t be happier with where I am today.”

– Story by Raynard Churchwell

Photos by Darnell Wilburn

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 51,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university's vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.