Episode 38: Going Full Circle with Shawn Sowers

In the latest episode of The Human Scale, Meredith Ray and Patrick Cooley sit down with Shawn Sowers, LS3P’s National Higher Education Market Leader, for a wide-ranging conversation about curiosity, consistency, and people-first leadership.Shawn shares her journey from small-town Indiana to Raleigh during its early growth years—and from K-12 design into the multifaceted world of higher education. She reflects on stepping into a brand-new firmwide leadership role just weeks before the world shut down, and how that moment shaped her perspective on leadership, mentorship, and resilience.Along the way, Shawn unpacks the complexity of higher education design—where academic, research, wellness, and community needs intersect—spotlights a milestone veterinary college project nearing completion, and explores how thoughtful design can support mental health and create environments where people are empowered to learn, test, and grow.Add in candid career stories, travel adventures, and a few delightfully controversial food opinions, and this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in leadership, design, and the very human side of building better places.