Abigail Pierce
Degree: MLArch
Expected Graduation Date: Spring 2022
Prior Degree
BA in Sculpture and Drawing, Bennington College, Bennington, VT
2021-2022 Scholarship
Barbara Fealy Student Scholarship in Landscape Architecture
I Am Originally From Portland, OR
WHY I CAME TO THE UO AND HOW I CHOSE MY MAJOR
I chose the University of Oregon because Oregon is my home. Studying landscapes involves the process of connecting to a place and it made sense to do so in a place that I love. I appreciate the opportunities for trans-disciplinary interaction and education that the College of Design affords. How to think, design and do differently – more expansively, more openly, more inclusively – feels especially relevant now, and that excites me.
My choice to study landscape architecture was partially proactive – I wanted to build on the knowledge I already had as a garden designer and artist. It was also reactive – I saw choices being made in landscapes that seemed counter to ecological function, as well as not serving human or more-than-human needs. I wanted to learn how to do better.
UNIQUE QUALITIES I BRING TO MY STUDIES
I am a non-traditional student in that I am in my 40s and this gives me a level of life experience that other students may not have. As a multi-passionate entrepreneur, I ran my own garden design business for 13 years, started a small non-profit arts organization and opened a nutritional therapy practice. These three professions may seem unrelated but they all support the values that I bring to my education – well-being, creativity, and connection to nature.
MY INFLUENTIAL PROFESSORS
First off, I want to acknowledge the incredible faculty in the small-but-mighty Department of Landscape Architecture. Their knowledge and generosity are what makes the program as strong as it is. Rounding out this stable roster of full-time faculty, the visiting professors that the department has brought in have been pivotal in expanding the conversation and student experience. In particular, Zannah Matson, Visiting Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture and Faculty Fellow in Design for Spatial Justice, and David Buckley Borden, Visiting Professor of Landscape Architecture, have positively influenced my work and interests. Both of them pushed me to reach beyond my comfort zone in design and that is exactly what I needed.
MY EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
I am involved with the UO student chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) and really appreciate how much they work to create community activities for the students. This has been essential during this last year of remote education where we were all so isolated.
MY GREATEST LEARNING EXPERIENCE AT UO
I’ve had so many great learning experiences at UO, it’s hard choose one, as there have been so many important moments, large and small. But if I have to choose one it’s that I have learned to trust my three V’s – values, vision and voice. They are my internal compass that will serve me well in the design world.
AFTER GRADUATION
My greatest hope is to be in a position where I can be challenging as well as challenged. I want to engage in stimulating conversations and projects that speculate on alternatives to the status quo. This feels like the only sane way to respond to the wicked problems of our time while acknowledging the realities of our entangled multi-species systems. My career objective is to NOT be another cog in the wheel under which the nuances of our social-ecological systems get crushed.
YOUR GIFT
This scholarship allows me to focus more of my energy on my education and less on how to pay for it. This is huge! My goal coming into this program was to take advantage of every opportunity I could – lectures, research, workshops, exhibits, etc. – and this scholarship allows me to do that.
“Thank you” feels too small to express the gratitude I feel. I hope you know what a difference scholarships are making in students’ lives and the future of the field of landscape architecture. This is an exciting time to be studying it! Thank you, thank you.