DiSanto, Tom  

Tom is a great teacher. He is a really nice guy and knows his stuff. Although it is a hard class for us mathmatically inclined ARCE students, he isn't too tough if you put in the effort and resubmit often. He doesn't give you your grade unless you ask - SO ASK - because it is hard to know in such a subjective grading environment.

Tom DiSanto isn't a regular staffer, but rather a young local architect, who brought a unique teaching attitude to our lab. He's no Weisenthal, but I saw a steady progression of my design work under his teaching. He tends to think only 'his' drawing style is 'best.' So those of you who follow Mike Lyn will be frustrated. Also, Tom never gives out grades higher than 95, which makes it REALLY hard to get an A in his class. I worked my @$$ off dead-week and resubmitted alot of stuff, and managed an A. Definitly take this guy if you can't get Weisenthal, Joins, or someone like that for 25X.

This guy is an amazing professor on top of being an amazing artist. He is always motivated and willing to help and motivate you. He gives multiple desk crits for every project to help with your design and is definitely a one on one professor. Tom will encourage an idea and help to correct a bad one but is never too harsh with his words. We took trips to LA and San Francisco as well as attended all the Hearst Lectures. Our second day of class met at Grover Beach. Tom is very abstract and likes creativity. He introduced so many new mediums to work with. While other class were working with cardboard, we were exposed to, acrylic, pour stone, morphboard, water colors, etc. Don't think this is a laid back class, I worked may ass off and earned my A grade. I along with the majority of the class workied to midnight 4-5 days a week. Weekend trips to the lab were of no rareity. Tom's students are alway in the lab, and we became very good friends because of that. If you ain't a lazy bum and really want an architectural experience, I highly suggest you take Tom's class

really great professor to take right out of 1st year. he was interesting and engaging. kinda artsy, but in a good way. if you are looking for 2nd year design professor to take i would definitely pick him. also you can go off with crazy design ideas, he seems to like that a lot.

You cannot be manly or afraid to be femenine if you take him.

A real nice guy but I really didn't get much out of the class as far as design is concerned. He has this ridiculous policy of resubmittal where if you don't turn in a project on time you can turn it in at the end of the quarter and your grade won't be affected. He doesn't reward you for turning things in on time. My advice is to not even try and turn things in on time, just turn in partial things and do it all at the end of the quarter. He grades pretty tough, but if you become pretty friendly with him he'll take that into account when he grades.

Tm will defnitetly test your limits. And yes, an A is extremely hard to get in his clas (I got a B+) but when you come out of the class you really, or at least I really, felt that what I got was what I deserved and i think most students felt that way too. You have to work hard and put a lot of thought into what you are doing. I felt that my design skills grew dramatically in his class. Some people describe him as "The Fowler of second year" but I wouldn't know because I haven't taken Fowler yet- I'm still in second year. If you really want to learn, grow and take you skills to a new level, then take Tom. If you're taking the classes just to get them done, or if you have Physics+ARCE+work part-time+some other class, it may be a bit much, but I did it and my GPA for the quarter was a B-. I thought Tom's class was a lot of fun and very insightful. If your not in architecture for at least a little bit of fun, then get out because there's probably something out there that fits you better.

Tom is one of the best teachers... hes very dedicated and very well informed. One thing though.. if you take this class... be prepared to work. Late nights and weekends were very common and I didn't mind them because they were fun, at least with the people in my class. Its also very expensive because of all the different materials we use. He doesnt like balsa wood models ... use bass or better. We went on a lot of field trips this quarter, and those were very fun... he sure knows his stuff. One thing I didn't like was his resubmit policy. SOme people would finish on time and others would finish like a week later and were still able to turn it in. They would just claim that they were "resubmitting" when they didnt even finish in the first place! Ugh. That is just not fair to the hard workers if you ask me. Thats all for design, now for practice... this quarter was crazy. We had to make a full set of CDs in 2.5 weeks. Its tough when you dont know what you're doing...so just be prepared for that. I'd recommend someone else for practice if you really want to get an in depth education on that. He was still very helpful though. Bottom line: Lots of work, lots of money, and no sleep. Lots of fun! So TAKE HIM! enjoy

I read the evals on Tom before I signed up for his class, figuring it'd be a good challenge, but managable. Uh, no... I have loved being an ARCH student at Poly minus my quarter with Tom. He is a good guy, but I wanted to DIE because of all the work that quarter. Some people like the insanity, and more power to you, but for those of you who want some type of life outside the studio, don't take him. It was a rude awakening. I worked my butt off and got a good grade, but I don't think it was worth it. He gives great projects, but it's never-ending. Another thing to consider is the other students you'll have to spend the quarter with... they were extremely into the whole "sleeping in the studio for 10 days straight" which is cool if you're into that, but I'm not... it's no fun to be in studio all the time with people who don't share your outlook on how design class should be. Tom is a great teacher, but consider YOUR personality before you sign up for him.

tom is a great professor to take, but if you can help it, don't take him winter quarter in the second year design series. the class is totally nuts. it felt like 80 percent of the class was up twenty three hours a day for the last three weeks of the quarter. really...it was pretty ridiculous. i liked what tom brought to the table, but i'm not sure that it was worth the price. you will have to judge for yourself

Not all he was talked up to be. We were all very frustrated the entire quarter...he expects you to be there everyday and to not leave early yet we couldnt keep him in our room. He was always late and would disappear for hours at a time and was constantly at other crits. We felt we were the losest of his priorities. He would put up desk crit list and it was a race to the board because he usually got through 2 maybe 3 if he was really good a day. If you were low on the list you spent days waiting to talk to him. He is a really cool guy when you actually get to talk to him but that is a feat in itself. The most I ever talked to him and got to see what an interesting person he was was at our end of the year dinner party at his house. Point blank...really cool person that everyone but his present students get to interact with.

That eval about not turning things in on time is rediclous! Do your work on time and it will pay off. Tom is as much an artist as he is an architect. He is full of information about styles, genres, and materials that will greatly expand your awareness and capabilities. Note to the wise though, he is definately an acquired taste. I've taken Tom for three different classes now and each time it gets more interesting. Many people. however, just don't like his class; they like him, but not his class. He can be pretty critical, but who isn't? Beware that his class is very expensive. He likes to have students use as many different materials as possible and bills really add up. Tom likes to get to know his students personally but you have to make the effort. He is a cool guy and a potentially great recource for recommendation letters if you plan to study abroad.

Tom is a fantastic person and instructor. He is so exited about the material that he inspires creativity and exitement among his students. I recommend Tom to any student who likes to work hard and get a lot out of their education.

tom disanto offers a demanding yet rewarding experience. i strongly suggest you allow his insight to add to your savoir faire.

Prof cried today.... What a weirdo hahahah get a grip of your life.

I had Tom for the Swiss studio where he was always late, but that never affected this class. He was one of three teachers, and they used a timer during both their presentations and student presentations, so nobody ever went over, class always started on time, and we were never held late. The most surprising thing to me about this class was the level of work demanded. EDES 406 was, while not necessarily a joke, rather a breeze. This class is serious business, but there are no exams, so as long as you do a thorough job on your project and have nice presentations, you'll be fine.

I had Tom for the debut of the Summer in Switzerland program. I found him to be highly knowledgeable about the places he took us and the buildings he showed us. He was never early and was constantly late, but not if it meant we would miss a train. When it comes to student work, Tom breaks the tenured Cal Poly architecture faculty mold and actually listens to a student through the entire description before giving feedback. You don\'t feel like it\'s a fight just to get your ideas out of your mouth, and he\'s not just sitting silently; he\'s actually listening. His feedback is tailored to you, your design style, and your project. He is good at identifying your strengths and weaknesses as opposed to just your project\'s strengths and weaknesses, which makes his feedback far more valuable and applicable to future terms. When it comes to student life, Tom does not judge. He will support the extremes in all directions, and everyone in the middle. (This is unimaginably important when you\'re living with your studio.)

May 18, 2014 - The Fifth Sunday of Easter - Youth Sunday Katherine Seth "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life." -John 14:1-14 Good morning everyone! If you don't know me, my name is Kat Seth and I've been going to this church for the past 10 years. I'm graduating from high school in 14 days and 10 hours. That is uncomfortably soon. For so long, college and the future and adulthood have been lovely, far off ideas that I've been able to postpone thinking about. But, with the onset of senior year, I was forced to push them to the forefront of my mind, and accept the fact that change is upon me. The resulting months were some of the most stressful and emotionally trying times I have experienced in my short 17 years. Making important decisions - like taking a new job, moving to a new place, or choosing a college - can cause us intense feelings of anxiety because the uncertainty of the future. I couldn't help but feel like it was my responsibility, and mine alone, to ensure the success of my future. My mom can attest to it: the tears, the monthly breakdowns, the intense indecision – all side effects of the pressure I felt planning out my future. Eventually, it came down to my West Coast college trip. This was supposed to decide everything. It was going to put an end to all of the indecision and show me exactly what the right choice was for me. I believed this without a doubt. I expected to have "the feeling" that is so often talked about among college students. It's the moment when you're overwhelmed with clarity and you know that a school is right for you. I was so excited to have this experience and it was only through the suggestion of my mom that we prayed for God to give me a sign. Up till that point, I had never considered putting this decision in God's hands. Did He know about what I needed in my architecture program? Did he know my preference for student body size, or to consider the coolness of the school mascot? I didn't realize that my need to micromanage things was blinding me from the well-preached fact that God knows everything and that, honestly, I needn't have worried. My sign came at the first school we visited. Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. After an amazing student tour in the absolutely gorgeous campus, I had "the feeling." I felt happy and whole and excited to be there. It had so much of what I wanted in a school and it just felt right. God had delivered pretty quickly and it was overwhelming to get exactly what I asked for so quickly. You'd think that would be it, you know, "and then she lived happily ever after, the end, send in the deposit". But as the trip went on, I couldn't help but look at the other amazing colleges and say, "Are you crazy God? Do you see these schools? Why don't you endorse these with your 'magic signs'?" I tried to discredit the feeling, saying, "Oh, I only felt that way because it was my first college visit ever. The other colleges make sooo much more sense." I came home and still did not have a decision. Weeks later, along with more tears, meltdowns, and extensive pro's and con's lists, I had two schools to decide between. Cal Poly and University of Oregon. I was changing my mind daily and splitting hairs till I went crazy. All of that ended on a Sunday very much like this one, just a few weeks ago. After communion, I went to the prayer room and prayed with one of my youth leaders, Kathy Reubosch. I'm sure many of you have had your own experiences of healing and revelation in the prayer room. The sound of running water, the Hawaiian light coming in through the window, and the feeling of safety just create an atmosphere that is optimal for hearing God. Sitting there after the prayer, I felt God. I was talking with Aunty Kathy about which way I was leaning and in that environment, I felt him gently nudging my heart the way he wanted me to go, as is his style. A few days later, I committed to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. The feeling that I had tried to ignore initially ended up being the driving force behind my decision. God knows who we are and what we need more deeply than we ever could, and He always knows our path, even if we can't see it. Sometimes, it is the choice that doesn't work out on the pro's and con's list, the one that doesn't make sense to us that is the change that we need. God doesn't always make sense, but He always knows what we need. Sometimes, in the words of the popular new Disney movie, Frozen, we just need to Let it Go. We need to learn that we don't always have to do it on our own and that in the end, He will guide us to the place we need to be. In the words of Jeremiah 29, verse 11, "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." Sometimes we just need to let go of our control, and put it into God's hands. Amen.