Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Architecture program and the 30th anniversary of the Interior Design program, five distinguished Philadelphia University alumni presented during a panel discussion over Commencement weekend.

The 20/30 Alumni Anniversary Celebration, held on May 14, began with lunch for alumni of the two programs, and also featured a tour of the Center for Sustainability, Energy Efficiency and Design (SEED) and a networking reception, along with the alumni panel.

The alumni — Karen Blanchard ’98, Kimberly Wannop ’99, Skylar Tibbits ’08, Jennifer O’Shea ’98 and Schendy Kernizan ’08 — gave presentations on the work they have done since graduation and answered questions about their paths to success.

Blanchard, an architecture major, was the recipient of the 2010 American Institute of Architects (AIA) Young Architect Award for the Philadelphia area in recognition of her notable work and promising future. She talked about her experience working at the architecture firm Wallace Roberts & Todd, where she is a senior associate.

Wannop graduated from PhilaU with a B.S. in Interior Design and currently works as the set decorator for FOX’s hit TV show Bones. Wannop was nominated for an Emmy for her work on the show in 2009, and she has worked on productions from Wheel of Fortune to American Dreams and multiple Hallmark TV movies. She talked about her move to Los Angeles after leaving PhilaU and breaking into the film and television set decorating industry.

Tibbits is a graduate of the five-year Bachelor of Architecture Program, and recently completed master’s degrees in design and computation and computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was named a “Revolutionary Mind” in SEED Magazine’s 2008 design issue and was recently awarded a TED2011 fellowship. He spoke about his current research and his position as a lecturer in MIT’s Department of Architecture.

O’Shea was an interior design major at PhilaU, and she has more than 12 years of professional experience working for a variety of healthcare clients at the Philadelphia-based company Stantec, where she led the design for the award winning Children’s Specialized Hospital, Pediatric Rehabilitation project. O’Shea shared her experiences working as a certified interior designer in Philadelphia.

Kernizan, received a Bachelor of Architecture degree in 2008. After spending most of his childhood in Haiti, Kernizan has been active in assisting with the rebuilding efforts in Haiti following the massive earthquake in 2010. He talked about his work in the impoverished nation while on a one-year fellowship with Architecture for Humanity and his plans to start a new career in Boston.

“All five of the guests were exceptionally well-prepared, thoughtful and passionate, which made the faculty proud to count them as alumni,” said Craig Griffen, associate dean of the School of Architecture. “Their success is a testament to the quality of Philadelphia University’s longstanding architecture and interior design programs, and their insights were appreciated by the students and alumni at the event.”