Design and athletics may have brought her to Concordia. But the relationships she formed, experiences she gained and faith she developed gave her so much more.
It doesn’t take much for alumna Jessi Alexander (’23) to recognize how her time at Concordia University Wisconsin helped shape who she has become today, both professionally and as a child of God.
After graduating in 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in Interior Architecture and Design, Alexander was named ASID Wisconsin’s Emerging Professional of the Year in September. The regional honor is presented by the Wisconsin chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) to one rising design professional recognized for their skills, service and talent within the design community.
“I’m absolutely honored,” Alexander said. “I never could have imagined something like this coming from simply showing up each day and trying to do my best.” Alexander was quick to acknowledge the recognition wasn’t hers alone.
“It’s hard to look at an award that I’ve received and not see all the people who are also standing behind it,” she continued. “It’s truly not me. It’s God first and foremost, but it’s also the community and fellowship that we have in this industry.” She acknowledged that much of the industry is about who you know and the people willing to encourage you along the way.
“I have a million amazing people behind me who have pushed me to try different things and made me comfortable enough to spread my wings,” she said.
Alexander’s story begins with creativity and curiosity. By her junior and senior years of high school, she knew she wanted to be involved in design and architecture. She loved playing sandbox-style video games where she could move around, try new things and just build. What started as a hobby became a passion and eventually a stepping stone toward her calling.
“I loved them so much,” she said with a chuckle. “I was like, ‘I just want to keep designing things.’ It sounds silly, but games like The Sims or Minecraft—truly, that’s what I loved.” That same feeling of getting lost in a project, where it can be hard to come up for air because you’re so engulfed in the work, followed her into 3D design and digital drafting programs like SketchUp, Revit and AutoCAD.
“You’re working with forms and shapes and models,” Alexander said. “You get to tinker around, and you truly can get lost in it.”
Strength beyond the mat
Growing up in Plainfield, Illinois, Alexander was also a high school cheerleader who earned multiple regional and national titles while maintaining honor-roll status. When it came time for college, she sought a place where she could pursue design while being recognized for her strength and technical ability as an acrobat.
CUW offered her both. Alexander joined the university’s acrobatics and tumbling team, which was a major draw in her decision to attend Concordia. Being part of an athletic team helped her with time management, problem-solving, collaboration and building stronger relationships with people.
“Those skills have carried directly into my professional life,” Alexander said. “No matter where you go or what career you might pursue, you’re going to have to work with other people. You’re going to have to communicate. You’re going to have to manage your priorities and solve problems.”
During her senior season at CUW, Alexander competed in eight meets and helped the Falcons earn a Division III national event title in the 450 salto toss, a skill in which athletes launch a teammate into the air to perform a rotation before catching her.
The best of both worlds
Athletics was only one part of what drew Alexander to Concordia. She also wanted a traditional college experience without giving up her passion for design. CUW’s Interior Architecture and Design program, offered in partnership with the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD), gave her what she described as “the best of both worlds.”
“I got to have that well-rounded balance of Concordia with the incredible design program that MIAD offered,” Alexander said. Along the way, she found friends and professors who would influence her life well beyond graduation and was introduced to a faith that would become increasingly important to her.
“A friend of mine at Concordia invited me to church time and time again, and I turned them down every single time until I finally decided to go,” she said. “I found a community of believers that were the most welcoming, down-to-earth people that I have ever met in my life.” Today, Alexander continues to grow in her faith and is actively involved with her church.
One CUW professor and mentor who stands out in particular is Theresa Kenney, PhD, who played an instrumental role in Alexander’s college experience. “She absolutely poured so much love into me and into my fellow students,” Alexander said. “You could tell that she really breathed life into my artwork and creative process, and gave me plenty of room to grow.”
Having that steady person throughout all four years meant a lot to her. “I remember being so nervous walking into her class freshman year. She really helped me feel more comfortable. Then fast forward to graduation day, one of the flowers on my cap started falling off, and she was right there to help me glue it back on,” she said.
Kenney remembers Alexander vividly and how her presence helped guide those around her. “Jessi is the kind of student every professor hopes for. Throughout her time at CUW, she combined exceptional talent with genuine kindness, always meeting deadlines and always ready to help a classmate.”
Regardless of the medium, Alexander lifted up those around her while producing outstanding work of her own, according to Kenney. She believes the recognition from ASID is well deserved. “I can’t wait to see the spaces she creates and the designers she inspires next.”
Another professor who was instrumental in shaping Alexander’s future was the late Rev. Dr. Daniel Paavola. His influence extended far beyond the classroom, helping shape her faith as well.
“Dr. Paavola’s influence on both my education and my faith has left me with an appreciation for not only what he taught, but the way he taught it,” Alexander said. “His passion, teaching style, and genuine ability to connect with anyone he met made a lasting impression on me. He was truly a once in a lifetime kind of person. It’s hard to put into words just how much of an impact he had.”
While keeping up with her academics, Alexander was named to the National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Association (NCATA) Academic Honor Roll multiple years, received Concordia’s Visual Arts Award and landed an internship with La Macchia Group, a design-build firm specializing in banks and credit unions.
Finding fulfillment all around her
Much of what Alexander learned at CUW and MIAD has carried directly into her professional life. One skill she developed that proved especially useful was learning how to confidently present her work and ideas to colleagues.
“I think that is a very underrated part of studying in this profession,” she said. “How you present yourself and your ideas and your projects can make a world of difference in how someone is interpreting them. You can have a great design, but knowing how to communicate it and present it confidently is just as important.”
Alexander first joined La Macchia Group as an intern while still a student and transitioned into a full-time role after graduating. “I’m truly fulfilled by the work that I do here,” she said. “That is something I’ve been holding on to because it’s just not something everyone gets to say.”
Professionally, Alexander has her sights set on ASID Wisconsin’s Design Excellence Awards, where she will be submitting some of her own projects for consideration. Personally, she recently got engaged. And spiritually, she plans to continue serving at her church, Rise MKE.
Overall, she has found herself exactly where she wants to be. The Concordia-MIAD program brought her to an area rich in art and design, while introducing her to the people, opportunities and community she calls home.
Now, just a few years into her career, she gets to do work she loves in the city she has a hand in designing. “I love what I do, I love who I do it with, and I love who I do it for,” Alexander said.
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Concordia University Wisconsin is a Lutheran higher education community committed to helping students develop in mind, body and spirit for service to Christ in the Church and the world.