Artist Biography
Brooke Mantegari will graduate in the spring of 2025 with a MA in Interior Architecture from Endicott College, where she completed her undergraduate education in the same discipline in 2024. Brooke has been passionate and enveloped in design for as long as she can remember, always eager to find creative solutions that make a difference. During her time at Endicott, she has strived to do just that by combining her love of design with her dedication to finding balance in the criminal justice system. Brooke decided to take on the challenge of reinventing a model for a correctional facility (during her undergraduate studies), and now a model for a post-incarceration reentry facility. She plans to continue utilizing her passion and education to make a difference through the power of design.
Thesis Abstract
Research has shown that there is an immense lack of funding, protections, and overall existence of reentry facilities; residential communities that are intended to reintegrate and transition formerly (or currently) incarcerated individuals back into society. A new facility model that fosters understanding, opportunity, and access to resources in a flexible, uplifting, and supportive environment is desperately needed. The goal of Onward is to achieve these necessities by fusing together disciplines (such as psychology, education, and healthcare) and providing a balance between social connections and independence to collectively promote a successful transition back into society despite adverse past experiences and neglect.
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/brookemantegari