2016

FROM ITALY’S CHURCHES TO ST. PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL

Kiera Brady ’14 CE was part of the first Architecture and Augustine summer program, which she describes as “one of my most memorable experiences as a Villanova student.” Noting that the architecture and theology classes went “hand in hand,” Brady recalls learning about the architecture and art in the Italian churches, discovering the inspiration behind their features and paintings, and then visiting the very site it was inspired by.

This trip also impacted Brady professionally. Working for a construction management firm, Structure Tone, her first job site out of college was the restoration of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. She says, “I was able to use a lot of the knowledge gained in Italy to my advantage on this project—for example, simply knowing all the terms that go with the construction of a church was helpful.” The project was completed with a visit from Pope Francis when he visited the city in 2015.

Brady writes, “When I completed the Architecture and Augustine program I knew it would be an experience that I would never forget culturally and personally, but I never imagined that I would end up being a part of the restoration of the largest Catholic church in the United States, and that it would have such an impact on my career.”