Mason Hardel is thankful to receive an Academic Excellence Award, to be recognized for his hard work, and for the experience he had with his peers in the architecture program at Dunwoody College.
Having transferred from the University of Minnesota Duluth after one semester studying Mechanical Engineering, Hardel had a hard time deciding what he wanted to do. “I tried Mechanical Engineering, but the creative aspect wasn’t for me,” he said.
Deep down inside, Hardel knew who he was from a very young age.
“Way back in the second or third grade, I wrote a paper about wanting to be an architect when I grew up,” he recalled. Hardel had always seen himself as a hands-on person.
“I find [hands-on learning] to be the best way for me to learn, and I also enjoy making physical objects with my hands,” he said.
Hardel graduated with his Bachelor of Architecture degree this past May. He also earned his Associate of Applied Science degree in Architectural Drafting & Design from Dunwoody in 2023.
During his coursework, his favorite project was making a rowing boathouse. The project pushed students to come up with creative and innovative design solutions.
He credits his wife for being his greatest inspiration. “She has been by my side every step of the way and has always pushed me to be my greatest self.”
“As a student, Mason made the time to help other students navigate their licensure exam prep and he has already passed three of the six required exams,” said Andrew Blaisdell, School of Design Associate Professor. “It’s been personally inspiring to watch him step into leadership roles.”
Hardel worked as an intern for TKDA, an engineering, architecture, and planning firm before starting as a Graduate Architect in May 2026.
To Hardel, Dunwoody represents the future of technical education and preparing students for their careers. “I applied here [at Dunwoody], started, and I’ve never looked back since,” he said.