Grad Profile: Cliff Roepke, E’24
Choosing KU was an easy decision to make for Cliff Roepke, as his mother had graduated with a degree in education. Deciding on a major, however, took some time and experience.
“I initially started in the interior architecture program,” Roepke said. “But I could see better career opportunities for me as an engineer.”
Looking for more of a challenge, Roepke joined the Architectural Engineering program where he dove into the technical side of the build environment. His switch from architecture to architectural engineering wasn’t just a change in academic focus, but a shift in mindset as well.
“Architecture is much more design oriented,” Roepke said. “Whereas an architectural engineer thinks more analytically and conceptually which was the perfect mix for me as I’ve always loved to see how things work.”
The mixture of disciplines, including lighting calculations, BIM Modeling, or light fixture consulting is something Roepke already has experience in, having spent the last two summers interning with Arup, a consulting firm with offices all over the world.
In his time, Roepke took part in consulting work for both big and small projects from global museums to ice cream shops. After his graduation this December, Roepke plans on joining Arup full time as a consultant. His first stop is potentially in one of Arup’s west coast offices, but he’ll switch one coast for the other in August when he joins the August cohort in New York City.
“New York is truly a hub of a lot of global design firms and that’s the place to be,” Roepke said. “During my internships, I got to collaborate with people from many disciplines, aligning to what I’ve been taught in ARCE. I gained rich design context from working alongside global architecture firms as well as brilliant technical minds. That’s where I want to be. Surrounded by people I can learn a great deal from.”
Even though Roepke is just now emerging into the architectural engineering world, he already has plans for what he’d like his career to look like and he’s well on his way to building that future.
“I like to see the bigger picture,” he said. “I hope to be in a position one day where I can see projects from design to construction, changing the skyline and lifestyles of neighborhoods.”
As Roepke prepares to graduate and move across the country, he reflects fondly on his time at KU and within the Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering Department.
“It’s been really cool to see the shift into a new era for this department,” he said. “There have been a lot of positive developments with the renovation of the new graduate offices, advancements in technology in the classrooms and growing support staff. It’s been fun to see the department succeed.”
Roepke has been a student office assistant since his switch into architectural engineering two and a half years ago and, just this semester, has also taken on the role of undergraduate teaching fellow and grader.
“It’s been a great learning opportunity and a chance to think differently and give back,” he said.
For freshmen entering the School of Engineering or joining the CEAE Department for the first time, Roepke has several words of advice.
“Put yourself out there and try to have a vision of where you want to go,” he said. “Don’t be afraid to connect with your professors. They can be incredible mentors.”
Roepke credits Dr. Will Collins as one of his key mentors over his time in the department but admits his entire experience within the department has shaped him into who he is today.
“I really felt taken in and welcomed,” he said. “It was nice to see peers collaborate, and I think that’s what makes the Architectural Engineering program special. Architectural Engineering comes from all facets of engineering and gave me the foundation to think big and collaborate across disciplines.”
As Roepke prepares to leave KU and start his next chapter, it’s clear he’s ready to make his mark – whether on the West Coast, East Coast or somewhere in between.