The Tower Summer 2018 - 10

40 Years of Growth
Thaddeus Stevens grads play vital role in leading architecture firm

amuel Betancourt went to work
at his first job about a day and
a-half after removing his cap and gown
from Thaddeus Stevens College's 2014
commencement. After another 18
months, he took a new job at RLPS
Architects, and he's loved his career
since then.
Samuel is not alone. He's one in a long
line of Stevens alumni-currently, he's
one of 14 on staff-to join the RLPS
team.

"I think the best
part about Sevens
was that it really
prepared you and
gave you a sense of
everything the field
has to offer."

"I can't imagine what we would be, or who we would be if
Thaddeus Stevens didn't exist," says Craig Kimmel, one of
the partners who has been with RLPS since 1988. "It's been
a great relationship."
The connection runs all the way back to George Lower, '65,
who started as a draftsperson with Haak & Kaufman and
worked his way up to becoming partner by the time the firm
changed its name to Reese, Lower, Patrick & Scott in 1982.
He's still the "L" in the RLPS, even though he's retired and the
firm is up to 14 partners.
10 The Tower

"The quality hasn't changed," says Richard
Dropik, another partner. "They can still
be George Lower in 20 or 25 years."
Dropik says Stevens graduates combine
two key skills the firm is looking for:
experience using Autodesk Revit, the
industry standard software for modeling
building designs in 3D, and a technical
knowledge of how buildings are put
together.

"I can't think of anything that someone
from Stevens doesn't do for us," Dropik
says. And he would know-Dropik is the partner most
responsible for building teams to execute the firm's projects.
Alumni provide detailed drafting services, produce computergenerated renderings, conduct in-field building surveys, as
well as help with construction administration work.
Take Justin Martin, '06, for example. Colleagues say he's
one of the most accomplished Stevens grads at RLPS, and
he's done "a little bit of everything" for the firm, including
drafting, Revit, IT, 3D technology and 3D printing. In fact,
he developed a test the firm now gives to new employees to

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Tower Summer 2018