Honors College Fellow Laurence “Lucky” McMahon decided to study architecture because it combined her two favorite subjects, art and math. So far, her favorite class project involved designing a high-rise mausoleum that could fit into an urban context. For her design, Lucky incorporated the Greek concept of tholos, or circular sacred space. Influenced by contemporary digital animation, which can make the familiar unfamiliar and vice versa, she then tweaked this traditional style to come up with something completely new: a purple and chrome tower that cradles human remains in womb-like pods.

Currently Lucky is working with Ethel Goodstein-Murphree, associate dean of the Fay Jones School of Architecture, to identify an honors thesis topic. "I'm researching how modernity, which values ephemerality, can develop the same layered and deeply symbolic system of meaning as ancient buildings such as St. Peters, which has existed for almost 2,000 years," she said. "Other topics we have briefly discussed are the changing role of corporations in advancing humanitarian architectural projects in developing countries."

Lucky explained that her favorite thing about the architecture program is the fact that “the effort you put into it directly affects what you get out of it. The possibilities are endless.” Lucky’s ultimate goal is to use her architecture skills to design better low income housing for communities like her home town of Mountain Home, Arkansas. Before that, though, she’s looking forward to opportunities like study abroad trips and internships. “I’m excited to see where life takes me,” she said.