PRP Now! Jessica Go // Dick Clark + Associates

September 8, 2021
PRP Now! is a series of interviews that highlight a current UTSOA Professional Residency Program student every few weeks.
JessicaGo_PRPnow

PRP: Tell us about your PRP firm. Where are you working?
I'm working at Dick Clark + Associates in downtown Austin. DCA's work is about half residential and half small commercial, most of which are built here in Austin. The firm is about 25 people, so everyone gets the opportunity to work on a lot of different projects at different stages. DCA also just moved into their new office they designed that used to be an old pawnshop. There's a patio on the main office floor where we have happy hours and office lunches, and a rooftop garden with herbs, squash, and sunflowers (super visible when driving by).

PRP: Do you enjoy the city you’re working in? Favorite aspects?
It's been really sweet to spend the summer in Austin and get to see real projects getting designed in a familiar place. There are always opportunities to go outside, try new food, and spend time with my friends before we graduate at the end of the school year. It's also been nice to be closer to home and see my grandparents post (kind of) pandemic.

PRP: What is currently on your desk? What are you working on?
I always have food at my desk, whether that be my daily yogurt or my daily popsicle. I also have dog treats on my desk for pet days every Friday, so that the dogs will be my friends. Right now I'm working on the beginning stages of a multi-use residential development in Austin, and a guesthouse ADU. I've gotten to hop onto several different projects, both residential and commercial, and have been learning a lot about what it takes to actually get a project built.

PRP: Describe the firm culture? 
DCA has a really awesome firm culture and work/life balance. Everyone is so welcoming and fun to be around, and they always make a point to teach me beyond just telling me things. The office is super chill and laid back, but we still get a lot of work done and everyone is really committed to their projects. Every once in a while Mark Vornberg will grill lunch on the patio for us and he always brings in tomatoes, squash, and basil from his gardens across the street and on the roof. I love that it's so easy to get to know people, joke around, and ask questions about anything and everything!