Architect Sophia Cosenza, '06

“So often, I’m the youngest person and the only woman on a project with a team composed of an engineer, a contractor, a senior partner, and more. I need to navigate that process for my client, and I work in a field with guys who have been doing this for 40 years. How do I earn their respect? How do I gain their ear?

Sophia Cosenza, '06 is a senior architect with Fogarty Finger, an architecture and interior design firm in New York City, who imparted both professional wisdom about her work and funny stories about her time at Mustard Seed in a visit to campus last fall. In her presentation to 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students, she graciously provided insight into her tools and practices for designing apartment buildings and interiors. In response to questions from the students, she also advised them on building a successful portfolio for high school applications.

“All schools at any level want to learn about their prospective students. I would have loved to have asked each one of the students in the classroom today: What is your story? What interests you?”

Sophia can vividly recall exploring the ancient Mayan civilization in sixth grade. “Forget the temples. We built a detailed manual on how a normal Mayan would live. The manual was so complex— there would have been space for everyone collaborating on that team to create a piece worthy of a high school portfolio.” After graduating from High Tech, her college portfolio to Pratt actually still included some of her work from Mustard Seed. In addition, completing elaborate presentations in Middle School taught her to collaborate with others and speak in front of a group.

Sophia can draw a direct through-line from MSS to many of the skills she employs today. Her mother is an artist and although Sophia had always gravitated toward the arts, she did not have the opportunity to pursue that interest in any meaningful way at the parochial school she attended as a young student. “When I started at Mustard Seed, it was like walking into the Wizard of Oz!”

It shouldn’t be an issue if you rely on integrity within yourself. Communication is so critical, and you have to implement with integrity.”

Identifying commonalities and feeling empathy have also been key to her professional life. “I grew up Catholic, and had classmates of different religious and cultural backgrounds. Our worship room was a safe place. It didn't discriminate. There was so much room for everyone to coexist!” Studying stories from both the Old Testament and the New, and honoring holy days like Sukkot at worship has provided some common ground with her clients and consultants of different backgrounds. "At Mustard Seed, we were taught to celebrate the differences."

"When I was a student here, my teacher Ms. Kuperus made such an impression, and my field trip to Ellis Island in eighth grade meant so much to me! Before the trip, we read about many different people from all walks of life who came through the Island of Hope and Tears. Each student was assigned a different character to play. I was a single mother with a seamstress background in good health. We had to go through customs and we did not all make it. There were different outcomes.

Sam Martino was one of my classmates. We were both accepted into High Tech. There were 12 kids in my class when I attended Mustard Seed and I would trust any one of them with my life.”