Maria Segura
Degree: M.A. in Interior Architecture
College: College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts
Born and raised in Costa Rica, Maria Segura lived a regular life until 2015, when things completely changed. At 19, she was diagnosed with a rare congenital heart disease (CHD) that needed immediate attention. She considered it one of the worst years of her life, having to travel to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami to undergo heart repair surgery.
After a successful procedure, Maria went on to complete her undergraduate degree in architecture in Costa Rica, creating her own blog along the way. Looking to connect her architectural work with people, she decided to pursue her master's degree at FIU in Interior Architecture, focusing on Interior Design.
During her time at FIU, Maria worked on many noteworthy projects and achieved a variety of accolades. She joined the FIU chapter of TOM (Tikkun Olam Makers) Global, an organization dedicated to finding simple and affordable solutions to real-world issues. In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic began, Maria worked with members of TOM Global FIU through Zoom on “Heart House” -a 3D-printed toy to be used by doctors to teach children with CHDs about their disease and how the doctors plan to help them. Now, the toy is being used at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and Maria sees it as her giving back to the people that gave her a new life.
After graduation, Maria plans to continue working in the interior design industry and growing her own firm by working on projects both in Miami and Costa Rica.
By Zion Sealy
Junior Account Manager
College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts