Maria Ceban '22 is Ready to Take on the Next Phase of College and Career
Maria Ceban ’22, an undergraduate student studying Architectural Design + Technology with a concentration in Environmental Sustainability, is graduating in May with a solid foundation to continue her studies in graduate school where she intends to receive a Master of Architecture or Master of Interior Architecture. While taking advantage of the opportunity to take two graduate courses this past fall, she heard about the John G. Martin and Marian A. Bills Scholarship, which sends one University of Hartford graduate to a top UK University for their graduate studies—tuition free, from her professor Theodore Swaruk. Her future plans and this scholarship aligned as she was already interested in applying to institutions in England because she loves the country, and being from Europe she always hoped for an opportunity to return and receive an education there. She was the runner-up for the scholarship and will have the opportunity to receive the award should the winner not get into their university of choice, or if they decline their offer. This year’s winner was Alberto Benitez, Maria’s peer in the Architectural Design +Technology program. She’s proud of herself for being recognized as the runner up. It has inspired her to be her “own competition.”
Coming to UHart because she loved the architecture program, and because she wanted to stay closer to home as a commuter—she’s graduating ready to expand her horizons. Maria’s time here has helped her to grow as a person. She says it “helped to make my character stronger, grow my leadership skills, become a better student and a better person. I became more independent and I am not afraid to go to a college hours away from home anymore.”
One of her favorite things about her college experience is the camaraderie of the students in the Architecture department. Her fondest memories include long nights spent in the architecture studio finishing up projects before they were due. She describes the experience as “an incredible atmosphere of lack of sleep, coffee fumes, the smell of the running laser cutter, inspiration, and a little bit of panic, of course!”
Maria Ceban '22,My time at UHart helped to make my character stronger, grow my leadership skills, become a better student and a better person. I became more independent and I am not afraid to go to a college hours away from home anymore.”
Beyond the classroom, Maria was an RFA and loved all the excitement it had to offer on any given day. She also participated in an internship with edm-architecture, engineering, and management with whom she’s been offered a full-time position after graduation should she find herself staying local.
Maria’s biggest highlight of her four years of work was receiving the 2021 CTGBC Green Building Award of Merit for her project the Ulmus Pumila (pictured below) in the fall. Many of her friends and professors came to support her at the award ceremony.
Ceban is graduating understanding that team work is important, and has been inspired to be a team player. “I was able to work closely with faculty members—something that helped me to achieve high academic results and motivated me to learn even outside of the class setting.”