What began as a necessity for the Johns Creek, Georgia, native became a passion that he wanted to share with others. As he honed his skills in the kitchen, Daniel hosted dinner parties for friends and started a culinary club at his high school. When he arrived at Georgia Tech, he wanted to continue sharing his expertise, so he created CHEFS at Tech, a student organization that hosts cooking workshops, grocery trips, and restaurant outings.  

“Cooking is one of the most important skills you can have, and that’s not something they teach you in school, so I wanted to fill that gap. Then, I started creating content on social media because I wanted to share my love for food and teach the world how to cook,” he said. 

Embracing the “global gauntlet” theme of the 16th season of Fox’s culinary reality show, Daniel showcased his Asian fusion cooking style, impressing the judges — Gordon Ramsay, Joe Bastianich, and Tiffany Derry — with his take on Mapo tofu, a Sichuan-spiced dish that he fused with ravioli. 

“That was better than some of the pasta I’ve had in Italy,” Ramsay said after tasting Meng’s dish. 

Like preparing for a final exam at Tech, Daniel prepared extensively for his audition, helping him stay composed under the bright lights. 

“Tech taught me to work under heavy pressure because you’re surrounded by so many hardworking students,” he said. “When you're in that kitchen, not only is the audience watching you, but the whole world's going to be watching you, so there's a lot of weight on your shoulders. But I knew I was ready because I was so focused, and this moment meant everything to me.” 

Able to execute his vision for the dish and take on Ramsay’s challenge of doing pushups in the kitchen, Daniel earned an apron to secure his spot in the competition. The feedback from the three culinary experts gave Daniel the added confidence of knowing he can compete with the best, but it’s the memories of cooking alongside his mother and sharing his food with friends and family that continue to push him.  

"From when I was a kid up until now, watching my parents enjoy my food means everything to me. In the MasterChef kitchen, the stage got bigger, but that feeling never changed. Cooking has always been how I show people I care. That doesn’t go away, whether I’m cooking for my parents or Gordon Ramsay,” he said.  

When he’s not competing, Daniel shares dishes on his social channels as a food content creator. From his Hainanese chicken and rice recipe to showing how he cooked for 70 of his fraternity brothers at Tech, Daniel wants his channel (@mengseats) to be a source of entertainment, education, and inspiration for those looking to elevate their skills in the kitchen.  

While his dishes vary in complexity, his favorites are those that remind him of his childhood, and he continues to iterate on his fried rice — both in technique and ingredients. A message he shares, particularly with college students, is that adding simple proteins and fresh vegetables to dishes like rice or ramen noodles can significantly boost nutritional value, enhance satiety, and broaden their palate.  

Follow Daniel’s MasterChef journey on Fox every Wednesday at 8 p.m. EDT and stream the next day on Hulu.  

That impact is driven by a talented team of interior designers — Christie Berkowitz , Reagan Donley, Alexandra Gutierrez, Stacy Laux , Polly Patton, Sarah Vaillancourt, and Becky Williams — whose combined experience spans decades and whose work touches nearly every corner of campus. While their backgrounds and approaches vary, they are united by a shared commitment to people, collaboration, and meaningful design in higher education. 

Designing With Purpose 

Across campus, interior design is often shaped by historic buildings, fixed timelines, tight budgets, or sometimes, small footprints. Rather than limiting creativity, these constraints often elevate it. 

For Sarah Vaillancourt, those challenges sharpen her design thinking. One of her favorite projects, a graduate student space designed to foster creativity and collaboration, used flexible seating, modular furniture, bright accents, and natural elements to support multiple ways of working. “The offices and spaces can sometimes be a constraint,” she said. “That pushes creativity.” More importantly, the project reinforced her belief in design’s influence on mindset and behavior. “I wanted to design a space that not only looked appealing but also supported students’ creativity and productivity.” 

That focus on everyday impact resonates with Christie Berkowitz, who joined the Institute in 2023. Her favorite projects have been classroom renovations — spaces that may not stand out visually but make an immediate difference. “While they might not be the flashiest spaces on campus, they have an immediate, profound impact on the student experience,” she said. Transforming older classrooms into modern, active‑learning environments embodies her belief that good design is grounded in function. 

Reagan Donley, who has been at Georgia Tech for more than 11 years, approaches every project with the same philosophy. “When I’m designing or managing the design of a project, I always try to make sure a space functions like the users need it to and is the best design solution to meet those needs,” she said. Her work balances form, function, long-term institutional goals, maintenance considerations, and historic preservation, often simultaneously. 

Collaboration at the Core  

Interior design in higher education is inherently collaborative, and every designer emphasizes the importance of teamwork, communication, and trust. 

For Alexandra Gutierrez, communication is foundational. “Starting conversations with the right stakeholders and understanding the scope and budget early on helps keep the project moving smoothly,” she said. That approach guided her favorite projects, the Skiles and A. French breakrooms, where she was able to design the spaces from start to finish. 

Becky Williams, who previously worked at a design firm with Georgia Tech as her client for almost a decade, enjoys being on the other side of the table. She views design as a collective effort. “I’ve always viewed a project as a ‘we’ effort, we’re all working toward the same goal, and we get there faster and better when we support each other,” she said. Her favorite project, Tech Square 3 (George Tower | Scheller Tower), stood out for its scale and complexity and for the opportunity to help guide the project from the owner’s side.  

That spirit of coordination defined one of Donley’s most meaningful projects, a renovation for the Office of Undergraduate Education in the Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons. With rigid funding and scheduling constraints, success depended on collaboration across campus. “We had to pull all the strings to get the project finished in time,” she said. “It was a privilege to help them meet their goals.” 

Spaces That Reflect the People Who Use Them 

While collaboration shapes the process, people remain at the center of every design decision. 

For Stacy Laux, design begins with listening. “A workspace should feel like the person who uses it—not the designer behind it,” she said. Her favorite project, Science Square, stood out because “everything clicked.” The success of the project came not just from the outcome, but from a team aligned around a shared vision. 

Her greatest inspiration comes from witnessing user connections firsthand. She tries to understand how the user moves through their day, what gives them energy, and what helps them unwind. She observes little habits and routines, which then inform her design process. “There’s nothing better than seeing someone walk into a finished space and instantly feel like, ‘Yep ... this is me,’” she said. That moment, she explained, is why design matters. 

Polly Patton’s nearly 19 years at Georgia Tech make her one of the team’s longest-tenured designers. For her, that user connection begins face‑to‑face. “I like to meet in person with my end‑user clients and listen to their needs before starting to formulate a design,” she said. Her favorite project, the John Lewis Student Center renovation, reflects that philosophy at the largest scale. “It’s the heart of the campus and is used by all students,” she noted, making it especially meaningful. 

 Where Inspiration Begins 

For these designers, inspiration comes from many places: the campus community, the design process itself, and sometimes it’s personal.  

“First and foremost, the students,” Patton said. “Designing spaces to make their time here at Georgia Tech more enjoyable inspires me to work harder.” 

Donley finds inspiration in color and in helping users solve challenges—whether through furniture, layout, or budgets. She enjoyed the Clough project because of the challenge of it being a significant change to the organization of the space.  

Berkowitz is “driven by building the strong structural foundations that allow us to execute our jobs at a higher level,” finding inspiration in systems and processes, building tools, and standards that allow the team to work more effectively. 

For Gutierrez, inspiration is personal. “My dad inspires me not to give up, and my faith pushes me to be better in everything I do.” 

Growing up in a family of educators, Williams also draws creative energy from her family. She realized at a young age that drawing floor plans and rearranging her room was more fun than lesson plans. Additionally, the variety of work appeals to her. One week she could be designing a lab, the next, a collaborative space, then followed by something that feels more like a corporate office.  

Higher Education Design Matters 

Thoughtful design fosters a sense of community and creates engaging learning and work environments. 

“Higher ed allows me to turn ideas into environments that support creativity, productivity, and well-being,” Vaillancourt said. 

For Berkowitz, it’s about shared purpose. “Being able to tangibly support the day-to-day success of the campus community is what makes higher education special.” 

Donley points to how campuses have evolved. “Now campuses are about the whole experience of the students,” she said. “Furniture and AV components have become the main characters of these experiences.” 

Patton echoed that variety and impact. “Higher education is a great mix of lots of different types of design,” she said — from housing to learning to dining, plus athletics, and even retail — offering endless opportunities to shape experience. 

“When a team is this strong, it becomes its own creative ecosystem,” Laux said. “You’re not just designing spaces anymore. You’re shaping experiences together. And when you’re surrounded by people who lift your ideas higher, challenge you in the best possible ways, and celebrate every win right alongside you, your own creativity just expands. It’s the kind of environment that keeps you energized and excited to show up every day.”  

At Georgia Tech, that ecosystem is one built on collaboration, purpose, and a shared belief that design has the power to elevate the entire campus experience. 

Tech’s mechanical mascot, a 1930 Ford Model A Sports Coupe, has been a fixture on campus and in the hearts of Yellow Jackets alike since 1961, and with the Ramblin’ Reck Club’s Ride Out in Style program, more students will have an opportunity to cruise through campus in the iconic car before Commencement.  

The club, which is charged with maintaining the vehicle and sharing its history with the Tech community, will facilitate the program. Through a Sign-Up Genius form, graduating students get an exclusive chance to ride through campus, cruising from the Reck Garage to the Campus Recreation Center before swinging by another staple of campus, Tech Tower.  

Sof Zambrano Molina, the current student driver, is behind the wheel wearing a silver heart-shaped locket with a photo of the vehicle inside. She relishes her role in turning a student’s wish into reality.  

“It’s always been said by drivers that the Wreck is owned by the student body, and we’re just the ones who get the car from point A to point B,” Molina said. “Since the Wreck is a symbol of Georgia Tech, students deserve the chance to be able to interact with it in that way.”  

In addition to Ride Out in Style, this semester also saw the launch of the new Bucket List Ride program. Before Ride Out in Style begins toward the semester’s end, bucket list rides are open to all students, staff, and faculty members — along with up to two of their friends — and give the community a chance to take a ride and learn more about the car.  

“I think interacting with the Wreck should be a formative part of every Tech student's journey,” Molina said. “From my experience — from watching people inside the car and seeing how happy they are, or even just seeing how happy students are whenever you drive past them — it's like the car inherently spreads joy.” 

For some, seeing the car on campus is the memory they hold onto, Molina says, but for others, it’s a sound they’ll never forget.  

“I had someone ask me today, ‘Hey, can I blow the horn?’ and she was so excited. And that’s the part a lot of people recognize,” she said.  

As Commencement nears, for any students who find a Wreck-shaped hole in their heart, don’t miss your chance to cross this ride off your Georgia Tech bucket list.  

“It would be great if the trees could talk, if our arboretum could tell stories,” Georgia Tech landscape architect Jason Gregory says. With trees on campus that are more than 100 years old, those stories could be history lessons about the Institute. 

Tech’s campus arboretum was recently recertified by ArbNet, the global network of tree professionals and tree collections organized for knowledge sharing, resources, and conservation. With more than 15,000 trees and over 130 species across campus — including two palm trees — the arboretum supports research, education, and preservation and provides public enjoyment. Environmental benefits include reducing heat, managing stormwater, improving air quality, increasing soil porosity, sequestering carbon, and supporting campus wildlife.  

Georgia Tech’s designation as a Level II Arboretum reflects its commitment to biodiversity and documenting its tree species, offering advanced educational and public programs, and maintaining policies for the inventory and care of its trees. This year marks a decade since Georgia Tech first earned arboretum certification. 

In 2023, Tech also received the Professional Grounds Management Society’s Green Star Grand Award with a 23% campus tree canopy. Today, nearly 30% of the campus is covered by tree canopy, creating a greener, cooler, and more welcoming environment while underscoring the Institute’s commitment to responsible landscape stewardship. 

“We have an interactive map online that allows users to explore the genus, species, height, and diameter of every tree on campus. The inventory process is a five-year cycle in which one zone of campus is inventoried each year,” says Annabelle Manville, a Living Campus Fellow for the Office of Sustainability. Gregory says the inventory data helps inform campus planning and support sustainability goals. 

As Georgia Tech looks to the future, the campus arboretum will serve as both a living laboratory and a shared campus treasure that connects people to place, past to present, and sustainability to daily life. Through thoughtful stewardship, ongoing research, and intentional care, the Institute’s trees will continue to shape the campus environment and the experiences of those who study, work, and gather beneath their canopy. Each tree adds another chapter to Georgia Tech’s story — one rooted in history, resilience, and a long-term commitment to a greener campus.