Growing up in Andover, Mass., near the Tewksbury line, Katie Bonier has known Merrimack College to be a place that is committed to nurturing and supporting students.
Now, as the director of the College’s new architecture program, she will lead the development of courses, internship opportunities and professional network partnerships to cultivate future designers and community-engaged planners and builders.
“It is a real dream to start a program and do it in a place that matters to me,” said Bonier, who is also an associate professor of practice. “Merrimack College is on the move and we are creating a program that will support students to be themselves and to be architects who make a difference.”
Merrimack College currently offers a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and a Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies, with plans to launch a professional master’s degree program in the near future. Among Bonier’s responsibilities include hiring faculty, steering the accreditation process and building a curriculum.
“This is such a fantastic opportunity for a place where collaboration across Schools and departments is encouraged,” she said. “Through the course planning process, I’ve worked with colleagues in engineering, the arts and construction management.”
Bonier began her career as an estimator and project manager for a general contractor before transitioning to architecture, in part because of the ways architecture positively impacts individuals and communities. She has been teaching architecture and urban design for over a decade, with a focus on helping students develop their creativity out of a strong knowledge of buildings and landscapes.
“You are working to thoughtfully create sites and craft buildings that not only satisfy the needs of the client, but also create a better environment,” she explained.
Her interest in the role at Merrimack College stemmed from the chance to build a program that combined that sense of service with the technical and design skills necessary to thrive in the architecture field. She noted that, in addition to being able to create and interpret site plans, Merrimack students will learn how to intervene in spaces to be sustainable, useful and positive to the places where they are working.
During her interview process, Bonier said she was impressed by Merrimack faculty and staff’s focus on blending experimentation with dedication, clarity and focus when it comes to art and design.
“That is exactly how architecture works,” said Bonier. “To hear how art works at Merrimack and to also learn about the big-picture thinking and the willingness to support architecture was wonderful.”
