From Concept to Construction, Wentworth Grad Sees the City’s Future

They are the builders, the thinkers, and the problem-solvers. In the "Defined by Doing" series, we highlight exceptional alumni who are translating their education into action and redefining what is possible in their fields. From recent graduates to seasoned industry leaders, these stories prove that the Wentworth community is making a meaningful impact at every stage of the journey. 

There aren’t a lot of places in Boston where Sarah Tavares hasn’t been.            

As a plan examiner, associate inspection engineer, and former building inspector for the city, she knows a solid structure when she sees one.                                                        

“In my profession, I’ve had the opportunity to inspect residential and commercial buildings, daycares, schools, labs, restaurants, hotels—every type of project that comes into the city,” Tavares said. “Currently, I review and check building codes, zoning regulations, and the Massachusetts amendments to the building code to make sure everything is compliant. And if it’s not, I work with the team to figure out which direction the project needs to go in, or what’s missing from it.”   

Tavares graduated from Wentworth Institute of Technology in 2018 with a degree in Civil Engineering. She has been guiding cityscapes from concept to construction ever since.   

Comfortable with conceptualizing the final products of buildings in progress, Tavares recently returned to Wentworth to employ her expertise in inspecting the construction plans for the university’s Sweeney Field Athletics Complex at 600 Parker St., which was completed in 2023.   

 “It was a full-circle type of moment because I thought, ‘I studied here. This is where I built all my skills for a professional life. And today, I get to inspect one of the university’s projects,’” Tavares said. “It was a great moment to experience.”  

Growing up in Cape Verde, Tavares said she’s always been a visionary. She often tagged along with her father, who is an architect, to building and construction sites. She believes being surrounded by the energy of up-and-coming projects from such a young age fueled her creative interests.  

“Seeing my dad at job sites, I knew I wanted a career where I could create and help people bring their ideas to life,” she said. “As a child, I was also very curious and was always wondering, ‘How does this work, and how do I build this?’ or ‘How do I make this, and how do I disassemble this?’” 

Tavares, who also studied project management at the university, said she chose to pursue her education at Wentworth because of its small class sizes, substantial Engineering degree options, and co-op program, which helped her secure a professional opportunity even before she graduated.  

“My first two co-ops were in project management, and that was great because I got the full-on experience of pre-construction, construction, paperwork, administration—everything that project management usually holds,” she said.  

“After my third co-op experience at Wentworth, which was in civil engineering, I was working as a bridge and tunnel inspector at a company in the city. It was amazing,” she continued. “It was a great experience in learning about what it feels like to be out in the field with big structures, doing inspections, and understanding everything that we learned in class, but being able to see it in real life.”   

Wentworth’s co-op program, and its wealth of industry partners, aided her in jumpstarting her career.  

“My last co-op was the one that got me my full-time job at AECOM,” she said. “It was the best feeling because most of my classmates also ended up lining up jobs right before graduating because of that program. We all worked hard during our co-ops, and it definitely paid off.” 

In 2020, after she was laid off from her position due to the pandemic, Tavares started her own business with her father called Mavas Construction, and she remains a part of that team today.  

“We do renovations of commercial and residential buildings, and I do a lot of the project management work, so it has been great to use the skills I learned from Wentworth in our business, too.” 

While working with her father, a unique opportunity emerged in 2023, and Tavares was encouraged to apply for a job with the City of Boston as a building inspector.  

“I was really excited because the job was focused on all the things I like—residential and commercial properties, project management—and so I thought, ‘Let me give this a shot and apply.’” 

Tavares got the job, and after only one year, she was promoted to associate inspection engineer for the city. 

“I love my job so much because every day is different, and I get to share knowledge and help people create projects they’re proud of,” she said.  

Tavares said her education at Wentworth played a key role in setting her up for career success.  

“Wentworth helped me shape myself as a professional by introducing me to a lot of different perspectives,” she said. “Engineering is a problem-solving type of degree, but it was the university curriculum and hands-on experience that exposed me to different scenarios that helped me build critical thinking skills. And that is so important, because with a problem, there’s never really a straight line to a solution.” 

Aiding her in developing a flexible mindset and providing support as she navigated challenges both in and out of the classroom, Tavares said the university provided invaluable lessons that she still calls upon in her current line of work.  

“One of the things I really enjoyed about Wentworth was how welcoming and knowledgeable my professors were,” she said. “They always encouraged me, and it was great to have mentors that see more in you than you actually see in yourself, especially when you’re a student. That made my education experience even more valuable.”