Susan Knapik

Interior Design, 2015

The Veteran Connection Center is an innovative approach to veterans’ post-service assistance as its intent is to heal and engage the whole person— mind, body and spirit. A holistic approach will better serve veterans’ long-term and diverse needs and will promote a sense of well-being, self-worth, purpose, self-sufficiency, and proactivity. By regaining these fundamental functions of autonomy and mental fitness, veterans will begin to feel ownership of their minds, bodies and lives once again.

In addition, the spatial layout encourages a positive and open relationship between veterans and civilians who have not served in the military. Connecting the two groups will help veterans form trusting relationships, and will assist civilians in better understanding today’s veterans. Community interaction and service are also important tenets of the holistic approach to healing. Allowing “outsiders” to be a part of the healing process will help ease the transition from solely receiving help and healing to also providing it to others.

Susan Knapik is an aspiring model (builder), designer (shoe-wearer) and CEO (H-I-O).  More seriously, though, Susan hopes someone (anyone? anyone?) will fund the research necessary for her to further explore and expand upon her thesis. Continuing her military service as a veteran and finding a place for it in the design world is of utmost importance to her.