Carli Torti

This is a photo of me at the top of the Painted Hills in Eastern Oregon. Between terms, I try to go out and explore the beauty of Oregon as much as I can and this was a gorgeous discovery!

Degree: MArch

Expected Graduation Date: Spring 2022

Prior Degree
BFA in Studio Art, University of North Texas, Denton

2021-2022 Scholarship
Schroeder Family Scholarship in Architecture

I Am Originally From Belton, TX

WHY I CAME TO THE UO AND HOW I CHOSE MY MAJOR
I specifically chose the University of Oregon for its reputation in sustainable building and architecture. I loved the idea of moving to Oregon as well, it is so beautiful here!

I really enjoy my professors in the Department of Architecture. I typically develop mentorships and friendships with each professor and they are extremely dedicated to providing me with all the knowledge I seek out, among their extreme knowledge and experience in making buildings better.

I got my BFA in art in 2013 and then spent the next six years working and living internationally, mostly serving in humanitarian outlets in developing countries. After spending so much time in so many different countries I could see the issues that the world faced were not going to change by service alone, there needed to be a larger movement in quality of life, infrastructure, and systematic operations. I felt a calling toward architecture as a means of bringing that change to the world.

UNIQUE QUALITIES I BRING TO MY STUDIES
I spent a year living in eleven different countries serving some of the most impoverished areas of the world, then thre and a half years in Costa Rica forming a non-profit. This perspective was incomparable to my purpose for being at UO and a driver that reminds me why I am studying every day.

MY INFLUENTIAL PROFESSORS
I have learned an immense amount from Thomas Hahn, Instructor of Architecture. He has taught several of my classes, studio, and I have worked alongside him as a Graduate employee teaching assistant. His passion for sustainable architecture has been lived out in his work as a contractor and as he shifted into architecture he brought experience and practicality to actually building with sustainable materials in a feasible way. I am inspired by him daily.

MY EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
I am involved in several student groups and extracurricular events. Community is super important to me, whether that means making time for my cohort or going to events put on my students. I am a student officer in tAmerican Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), a member of the UO student chapter of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS), and I attend events through the UO Outdoor Program, and other campus events. I also facilitate a mentor program specifically for the incoming Track 1 MArch students.

MY GREATEST LEARNING EXPERIENCE AT UO
My greatest learning experience has been to not be afraid to ask for what I want. Instead of being held back from a “typical education” or a “standard” for what my education should look like, I have given myself the freedom to ask for what I want in my education. If there is a speaker I want to meet up with or a teacher I’d like to get some references from, I just take the steps to put myself out there and ask for it. The worst anyone can say is no.

AFTER GRADUATION
My greatest hopes are to have my own firm that collectively brings firms all over the world together to tackle some of the most pressing issues in developing countries. There are several firms doing incredible non-profit work, but imagine if all the architects were able to work together on one focused goal at a time; it could be revelutionary. Harnessing others’ gifts and talents is a passion of mine, and I’d like to harness those gifts toward combating social and climate injustices around the world.

YOUR GIFT
This scholarship is extremely important to me. My family has never had secure finances. Considering the stress of loans and the cost of this education, any amount of financial reprieve is life-changing to me and I am extremely humbled and grateful for it. It allows some of the guilt of being in school and the number of loans I am taking out to be lifted and lets me focus more on my education, truly.

Thank you so much! The work and effort you have put into making this scholarship a reality is crucial. Without people like you who see the benefit in supporting students financially, there would be missed opportunities for greatness. I absolutely recognize the massive impact you are having in my life and the lives of others who receive this scholarship and the difference it makes in the financial stress that students are going through. Thank you, again.