Ask most architects in Indianapolis where they went to school… they will most likely say Ball State. But not Cindy McLoed! Cindy’s architectural allegiance is to Mississippi State University, home of the Bulldogs.

 

 

 

Why Mississippi State University?
I was born in Mississippi, and my dad’s side of the family is firmly rooted in Starkville (home to Mississippi State University). I grew up going to all the games and have always been surrounded by family who are fans.

It seems like I always knew that I was going to be an architect. I have always loved buildings. Even when I was playing with toys as a child, I was more interested in creating the buildings and spaces for them. Artistically, most kids would draw a picture of their house while I was busy creating the spaces from building blocks and anything that I could find. Since Mississippi State had an accredited School of Architecture, it only made sense that I go to school there. My son, Oliver, is also attending State now, and we still go down to many of the games and follow the teams.

And you are still connected to the area as well?
My family owns property in the Starkville area. My dad started a 300-acre managed tree farm in the 1960s growing Loblolly Pine Trees. It is now a family company with shared ownership between my parents and us “kids”. We are certified by the American Tree Farm System which promotes responsible forest management for private forests. Basically, they set standards for wildlife habitats and managed growth plans emphasizing staged harvest with no clear cuts. In my lifetime, I have seen giant trees come down, but they have always been followed with new ones coming up.

Tell me about your family.
I married Marty in 1994, and we have two kids—Oliver (18) and Neely (21). Marty works in IT for LSC Communications and is always working on our home or landscape projects. As mentioned, Oliver graduated from Brownsburg High School and is attending Mississippi State—majoring in the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture with a focus in Conservation Law Enforcement. Neely is getting a degree in Ministry Leadership and went to Guatemala in August 2018 for long-term mission work. My furry children are Yogi and Yeager, two Golden Doodles. They have their own Instagram account—@yogiandyeager.

Do you collect anything?
I had an awesome neon collection in college. We would find abandoned neon at old buildings around town and create new arrangements with the tubes. The thing many people don’t know is that there is an art to learning the wire neon. I definitely got shocked a few times learning to do it. Unfortunately, the transformers were all made out of lead, so I got rid of all the neon and transformers when I had kids. Now my collecting is a bit less adventurous—I collect patches from places we have visited.

Do you keep anything special at your desk?
Beyond the mess, I have a Mississippi State banner. Being an out-of-state trained architect, I like to show my allegiance and love for my school.

If you ever have architectural questions, want more Golden Doodles pictures, or are a Mississippi State fan — give Cindy a call!

 

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