A Career & Visa Roadmap for Architecture and Design Students Abroad

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Working in the US and Building What Comes Next A Career & Visa Roadmap for Architecture and Design Students Abroad Sat, Nov 14, 2026, 9:00 PM KST Hyunsoo Cho | Corgan, Project Specialist After studying architecture and design in the US, how do you land your first job and turn it into the next opportunity? As graduation approaches and you prepare your portfolio, you find yourself weighing which firms to target, when to apply, how to interview, and even visas. The questions don't stop after your first job, either: how to present your current experience to your next employer, whether you can move into a different design field, and what to prepare in advance to continue your career in the US. In this seminar, we explore these questions with designer Hyunsoo Cho, who graduated from Pratt Institute, worked at WHY Architecture and J Frankl Architects, and now works at Corgan. From interior design to residential architecture, and then to data center architecture. Drawing on experience gained while moving across different fields and organizations, he shares his journey from preparing for his first job through two job changes, along with his experiences and preparation around the H-1B and O-1. He'll speak concretely about the choices he made at each turning point, what he prepared, and how each experience led to the next opportunity. PART 01. From School to Your First Job We look at the process of turning the work and experience you built in school into employment. He shares how he prepared for his first job based on his architectural education at Pratt, and how he planned his portfolio and applications around the OPT timeline. This part will help students nearing graduation assess where they stand and figure out where to start. PART 02. Two Job Changes: Attempts and Success From interior design at WHY Architecture, to residential architecture at J Frankl Architects, to data center architecture at Corgan. We examine the criteria he used to choose his next firm in each move, and how he communicated his experience when applying to a new field. Reflecting on which skills carried over as firms and project types changed, and how he explained his experience in interviews, we consider the next steps in a career. PART 03. Designing a Career Alongside Your Visa We look at OPT/STEM OPT, H-1B, and O-1 within the arc of a career. He discusses how visa issues influenced his choices while seeking jobs and changing employers, and what experience and materials he compiled for sponsorship discussions with employers and for his O-1 preparation. Following the speaker's own journey, we consider how to document your current work and experience and connect it to a long-term career plan. Recommended for Those planning to study architecture or design in the US who want to understand career paths after graduation Those currently studying in the US or preparing for their first job ahead of graduation Those considering a job change or a move into a new design field after their first job Those who want to plan their job search and visa strategy together About the Speaker Hyunsoo Cho Corgan · Project Specialist He earned his Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) from Pratt Institute and gained experience in interior design at WHY Architecture and residential architecture at J Frankl Architects. He currently works on data center architecture at Corgan. Corgan was ranked No. 1 among US data center architecture firms in Building Design+Construction's 2025 rankings. In this seminar, he shares his career journey through school and practice, across different design fields, and through visa preparation. So that what you prepare today leads to your next opportunity. Use Hyunsoo's real-world experience to take a concrete look at your own job search and career plans. Join us at Beyond Chapter on Saturday, November 14, at 9:00 PM.