Gavin's interest in architecture was fouded on a childhood of math excellence and a tendancy toward creativity.  In grade school, he often puzzled teachers by solving complex problems faster than he could write them down.  At home, he took interest in drawing cartoons, playing instruments, and writing music.  This capacity for both logical and creative thinking drove him to take a drafting course in high school.  In this course, Gavin learned that designing buildings suited both his skills and his interests.  

        At KU, the Dean - who once worked under Louis Kahn, always taught the intro to architecture class.  This class was essentially a crash course, but it touched on topics such as history sustainability, functionality, and aesthetics. Later, Gavin studied abroad in Spain and France. He visited a variety of designs by famous architects such as Antoni Gaudi, Jean Nouvel, and - perhaps most notably, Le Corbusier.  Having seen the potential of design and the passion of these professors, Gavin solidified his own passion and reassurance that he had chosen a meaningful career path.

        Having earned a degree in Architecture, learning German along the way, and gaining a newfound love for travel, Gavin landed a summer internship with a firm in Lübeck, Germany. After returning to the United States, he became an active member of USGBC, Minnesota.  Through networking, he landed an internship for a general contractor doing large-scale hospital projects and a job with a home energy rating company, where he would work until moving to Denver for graduate school.