June 19, 2025
At Johnson Architecture, mentorship is more than a buzzword – it’s an intentional investment in the future of the profession. This summer, two talented interns, Cameron Nelson and Tiffany Meek, are gaining hands-on experience while contributing meaningfully to the firm’s continually growing portfolio of projects.
Cameron Nelson
A rising fourth-year student in the University of Tennessee’s College of Architecture and Design, Nelson first encountered JAI through an internship with his tribe, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI). He observed Principal Architect and Founder Daryl Johnson leading design charrettes and master planning sessions, deepening Nelson’s interest in architecture as both an art and a service to community.
Drawn to design through a background in art and wood carving, Nelson hopes to start his own architecture firm and serve his tribe, which currently has no licensed architects.
But first, he wants to learn all he can, and he’s seizing the opportunity through his summer internship with JAI.
What struck him first about the firm was the professional atmosphere. He says the people are kind and work with autonomy. Team members take obvious pride in their projects but are relaxed with one another.
So far, Nelson has worked on a layout for a residential home extension, collaborating with the team on plans and drawings under the mentorship of team members like Josh Biden and Gabrielle Howard. He looks forward to expanding his skills and expertise and hopes to participate in client meetings during his internship.
Nelson has successfully completed a minor in business and is now undertaking a minor in sociology as he progresses into his fourth year of study toward his Bachelor of Architecture.
Tiffany Meek
Intern Tiffany Meek, an Interior Architecture and Design student at Utah State University, also noticed JAI’s welcoming culture and cooperative spirit.
Instead of being treated like “just an intern,” Meek expressed that she has been embraced as part of a team of architects and interior designers that collaborates with creativity and respect.
From day one, she was entrusted with real responsibilities – converting 2D plans into a 3D model within hours of starting. Her internship has already included contributing to construction documents, recommending materials, and accompanying the team on site visits and in client meetings.
Meek has always been interested in floor plans and devising configurations that are both functional and evoke positive experiences for the user. She aspires to become a licensed architect and hopes to make good design accessible to everyone, regardless of budget.
Her husband is pursuing his doctoral degree in mechanical engineering and sought an internship with a national lab, so they targeted geographic destinations offering opportunities for both of their burgeoning careers. He was able to secure an internship with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and she earned an internship with JAI, her top architecture firm choice in Knoxville.
Meek has completed minors in art and entrepreneurship and will return to Utah in the fall to complete her Bachelor of Interior Architecture and Design degree. However, she loves the collaboration of the team and won’t rule out a potential future move south.
Johnson Architecture is committed to fostering talent within the architecture and design industry. In 2021, the firm established the Johnson Architecture Scholarship, which has been awarded to 13 students at the UT College of Architecture and Design, promoting diversity and study abroad opportunities for students.
The full-service design and architecture firm is renowned for nurturing talent internally and has successfully launched the careers of numerous local architects throughout the region.
