GSA Alumni Inspire the Next Generation of Kentucky Designers

This summer, two Omni Architects team members returned to the Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts—not as students, but as professionals helping inspire the program’s next generation of creative thinkers.

Mark Manczyk, a 2009 GSA alumnus, and Erin Ruhl, a 2004 GSA alumna, hosted a virtual meeting with students in the Architecture + Design discipline during the program’s 2026 summer session at Northern Kentucky University. They shared insights into the architectural profession, reflected on their own experiences since attending GSA, and presented Omni’s work on the expansion of NKU’s Herrmann Science Center.

Established in 1987, the Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts is an intensive three-week summer residency for talented high school students from across the Commonwealth. Through focused instruction, interdisciplinary learning, visiting artists and exposure to a collegiate environment, GSA helps young creatives develop their abilities while exploring potential academic and professional paths. More than 9,000 students have participated in the program since its founding.

NKU became GSA’s host campus in 2026, welcoming students from June 7–27 for study in disciplines including Architecture + Design, creative writing, dance, drama, film and photography, music, visual art and more. The session concluded with a public showcase of the students’ work on June 27.

For Mark and Erin, the visit offered an opportunity to connect their own GSA experiences with the careers they have built at Omni. Their discussion introduced students to the many roles architects play—from listening to clients and developing a design vision to coordinating complex technical systems and overseeing construction. Using the Herrmann Science Center Addition as a case study, they demonstrated how architects balance creativity, collaboration, functionality and long-term performance to shape spaces for learning and discovery.

The project they presented made the conversation especially meaningful. Omni designed the original Herrmann Science Center in the 1990s, establishing an integrated academic environment for NKU’s science programs. More than two decades later, the firm is leading an expansion and renovation that will help the facility respond to evolving teaching methods, emerging technologies and growing demand for science, nursing and engineering technology education.

The meeting brought together several generations of creative development: two former GSA students sharing their professional journeys, current students beginning to imagine their own futures, and a transformative NKU project connecting Omni’s past work with the university’s next chapter.