Anna has graduated from LEDC’s Summer Leadership Program!

On August 9th, Architects Aaron Banks and Phil Wegman attended Anna’s graduation ceremony from the Lakeland Economic Development Council’s 2023 Summer Leadership Program.

After 5 weeks, our Graduate Architect Anna Britt got a crash course on all the things Lakeland has to offer for young professionals. She made great friends, networked with so many Lakelanders she didn’t think she would have a chance to meet, and got a behind the scenes look at this city where Anna has decided to begin her career after college. Anna raves about this program, while at first being timid to the new experience, she found a new community within her SLP class that she is grateful to have found just 3 months into her Lakeland journey.

Anna enjoyed each day of this experience, and she reports that her favorite day by far was the Arts and Culture day: the group was taken to the Polk Museum of Art, the Polk Theatre, and then returned to catapult to learn from local illustrator and muralist Bump Galletta. She has been involved in the Arts her entire life, so seeing how rich the creative environment of Lakeland is was very exciting.

Reflecting on her experience, Anna believes it was a perfect fit for her as a new Lakelander, but her new friends who have lived in the Swan City their whole lives learned so many things about the city we all call home. She is so grateful for FWB sponsoring her through this five-week experience. She walks away from SLP feeling more confident and knowledgeable about the city, especially from an Architectural perspective, considering all the needs and desires within the community for new development in Lakeland. Professionally, she gained skills in team management, building community, and marketing herself and her firm. Personally, she walks away certain that she has the ability to thrive in Lakeland and continue to get involved in her new community.