Alumni: Laura Alvarez Squillace - Ecosa Institute : Regenerative Ecological Design Education : Prescott, Arizona

"Enlightening and challenging. A great social, emotional, mental and physical journey. Be prepared to explore the depths of your conscience and break the bonds of traditionalism."

-Ecosa Institute Alumnus

"Ecosa is an unforgettable and transformative experience that pushes you to reexamine what sustainability really means. It’s given me a whole new perspective of the world we live in and the complexities of the environmental challenges we face."
-Ecosa Institute Alumnus

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Alumni: Laura Alvarez Squillace

"I moved to Nevada City, California, just 9 months ago after earning my Masters in Architecture from the University of Oregon in Eugene. It was an incredibly enjoyable and exhausting experience. My prior education at ECOSA made the first semesters in design school so much less overwhelming as I was already familiar with the design tools and concepts.

The knowledge and confidence I gained at ECOSA also helped me stay committed to my ecological priorities while learning how to balance this need for sustainability with other objectives such as aesthetics and affordability… so thank you!

In July 2011, I will begin working at McCammett and Durrett Architects (a.k.a The Cohousing Company), just ¼ mile from our small one room cabin in the Sierra Nevada foothills. In the year interim between graduation and my upcoming position at The Cohousing Company, I have been working both as an independent architectural designer and as a LEED consultant and builder for Habitat for Humanity. I’ve had several other very fun and educational jobs since graduating from ECOSA, and I’m confident that my experience with you helped me acquire and excel in these positions: a total of 6 years as a architectural assistant, 1 year as a retailer of green building materials, and another year as the sole designer in green design/build firm during which I designed a custom green home in Napa County, California.

I look back at my time at ECOSA with such a warm heart as I think about all the inspiring people and intentions that we were immersed with!”
Photograph above: Laura, on right, at her graduate school presentation