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Through Accolades, LDG shares news of the awards, rankings, and professional achievements that recognize our people, our hard work, and our exceptional client service.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Larson Design Group (LDG), an award-winning, employee-owned national architecture, engineering, and consulting firm, is proud to announce that Angie Clarkson, Education Planner, has earned the Accredited Learning Environment Planner (ALEP) designation from the Association for Learning Environments (A4LE), the leading professional association for those “working at the intersection of learning and place to drive the evolution of learning environments.”
Angie joins an exclusive group of only six design professionals in the state of Oklahoma who hold this prestigious designation, which exemplifies excellence in the industry and reflects personal and professional growth and development.
There are two routes to achieving the ALEP credentials: the first is through the submission of a comprehensive dossier of work, letters of recommendation, and proof of 100 hours of continuing education over a five-year period, as well as engage in personal interviews. The second is by completing coursework through the A4LE Advanced Academy, a 10-month set of live courses taught by experts in six core content areas that include educational visioning; community engagement; educational facility pre-design planning; assessment of school facilities; design of educational facilities; and educational facility implementation, project management & project delivery.
“Angie deserves all our congratulations on this incredible achievement,” said Jeff Wegener, LDG Senior Practice Manager. “What she has learned will help her perform even better and take our client service to the next level.”
We spoke with Angie, who is based in our Oklahoma City office, about this important achievement and what it means for her.
Congratulations on this achievement! Tell us more about the organization that awards the ALEP distinction.
The Association for Learning Environments (L4LE) is an international, interdisciplinary association of design, education, and constructional professionals who work together to advance high-performing, next century learning environments. A4LE is a non-profit organization and acts as a hub for professional learning and research.
It’s also one of the best mechanisms for design professionals to access the latest research about teaching and learning and to collaborate with educators about how current teaching practices and pedagogies interact with the facilities we design. Basically, A4LE provides resources to help us make the best, most effective design decisions for our education clients.
In a broader sense, what does your designation mean for us as a firm? How will it enhance LDG’s full-service offerings?
Historically, our education design practice has been very focused on the Oklahoma market. One of the best things about A4LE generally and the Advanced Academy specifically is that there’s a much wider focus. Educational facilities, priorities, and needs vary a lot across the country and one of the biggest things the Academy gave me is a more complete base of knowledge to expand our K-12 practice into new markets.
The ALEP credential also sends a strong message to prospective clients that they can trust us to navigate the often-thorny path from visioning a capital improvement campaign to actually getting a strong transformation package passed at the ballot box.
Why did you choose to pursue this designation?
I love schools and teachers and students, pure and simple. I’m the daughter of a public educator. I love so much of what she did as a professional – I just don’t have the temperament for classroom management! One of the biggest reasons that I chose the Advanced Academy route is that I wanted to grow and strengthen my educational vocabulary. We work with and for great educators, and I felt it was important to broaden my own knowledge so that I could converse with them in a way that is respectful of their expertise.
I’ve also found from experience that educators use language differently than architects. Now I have a more well-rounded view of the teachers’ concerns and experiences, and that allows me to glean the best and most complete information during the programming and planning process.
If someone is interested in ALEP certification, what would you tell them? What kind of advice would you give?
Don’t be afraid of the Academy! It is a substantial time commitment, but the coursework is thoughtfully designed and well-rounded. Some courses are taught by lifelong educators, others by experienced architects and planners. A lot of the coursework involves teaming with professionals in other markets and time zones, which is fantastic.
Most of all, I would say to go into each course and assignment with an open mind. Everything comes together to tell a great “story” about how our work really matters to communities, educators, and learners. Rediscovering that sense of common purpose was incredibly meaningful to me and to my friends that went through the academy with me.
RELATED: Learn more about LDG’s full-service offerings for the Education market
ABOUT LDG
Founded in 1986, LDG is an award-winning, 100 percent employee-owned national architecture, engineering, and consulting firm with 17 offices in seven states and a vision to elevate client relationships, enrich the careers and lives of its employee-owners, and enhance the communities in which it operates.
For more than 30 years, we have been teaming with clients nationwide to provide responsive, innovative solutions by offering an extraordinary depth and breadth of capabilities and embracing sustainable business practices. For more information, visit About – Larson Design Group.