Elena Coleman

This is a photo of me and my partner with our snow dog Nika cross-country skied to an off-grid yurt on Paulina Lake this past winter. It snowed 2 feet while we were there, but we had a blast and stayed warm inside the wood-stove-heated yurt. This photo was taken while sledding with Nika chasing behind us.

Degree: Master of Community and Regional Planning

Expected Graduation Date: Spring 2024

Prior Degree
BA in Mathematics, BA in Portuguese and Brazilian Studies, Smith College, Northampton, MA

2023 Scholarship
Doug McClain Memorial Scholarship in Planning

I Am Originally From Morgantown, West Virginia,but most recently I lived for 7 years in Concord, New Hampshire

WHY I CAME TO THE UO AND HOW I CHOSE MY MAJOR
I chose UO for a few reasons. My partner and I wanted to move to the Eugene area from the East Coast and I was attracted to the Master of Community and Regional Planningprogam’s emphasis on applied learning and professional development. I heard great things about PPPM from alumni I talked to and I really appreciated the smaller size of the program.

While I was working in New Hampshire in my previous career, a few people mentioned planning to me (and I had never heard of it before). After doing some informational interviews with planners and researching the field, I knew there was something there for me. I was attracted to the community-focus of planning and understanding the intersections of different systems. Many people I met seemed to have a similar problem-solving, community-minded focus as I did. I felt there were many different opportunities within the field for me to pursue.

UNIQUE QUALITIES I BRING TO MY STUDIES
I lived in Ecuador after graduating high school, which very much changed my perspective and world-view. Going to a women’s college was also a very unique experience that shaped me, especially in pursuing Math (which I’m not sure I would have otherwise). I also found Portuguese and was able to study abroad in Brazil, another very meaningful experience. Being able to live and experience different cultures and languages allows me to reflect on the realities of the world and how people seek to live their lives. I also worked for a year as an advocate for victims/survivors of domestic and sexual violence and went onto work in the field for another five years. I have learned so much from the survivors I have worked with along the way and have come to deeply understand the impact of trauma on people’s lives and in communities. I never thought I would focus on housing, but developing housing programs for survivors of violence opened up a whole new perspective on how social service and housing systems work in this country. This also prompted me to reflect deeply on social justice and DEI-issues within the field and society more largely.

MY INFLUENTIAL PROFESSORS
I learned so much from the Growth Management course taught by Rebecca Lewis last year. She really helped me understand the complexities of all things housing. I gained more insight into both tangible and logistical elements to managing housing growth as well as some of the deep equity implications. I walked away thinking much more deeply around all that impacts housing development as well as tangible solutions.

MY EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
I have not been involved in any specific student activities at UO besides PPPM-specific events. I am a very active outdoors person and try to spend my free time hiking, climbing, and kayaking.

MY GREATEST LEARNING EXPERIENCE AT UO
Honestly the greatest learning experience I’ve had is getting to know myself better. Graduate school has been far more challenging than I could’ve imagined, but also introduced me to many wonderful people in my program. We have been able to support each other through some of the hardest times in our lives, and we have gotten to grow together. I started therapy during my first term in grad school, and it has allowed me to take more ownership of my life, better understand myself, and find more positive patterns, allowing me to be a happier person. I could not have done that without the relationships I’ve developed through PPPM.

AFTER GRADUATION
I hope to stay in the Eugene/Springfield area! I am excited to continue growing my community here and finding meaningful planning work, focused on housing. I’m not exactly sure where my degree will lead me, but I hope to broaden my network and fall into a role that will be both productive for the community and allow me work-life balance.

YOUR GIFT
This scholarship allowed me to take a required course for my degree program this summer (Geographical Information Systems). I ended up having to pay out of pocket for my entire first year. I am very grateful to be a Graduate Employee for my second year, but it will also add to my work load. After looking over my degree requirements, taking a course over the summer would greatly reduce my required courses, so I could take fewer credits each term during my GE. I also loved the GIS course I took, which inspired me to look for a more advanced GIS course later this year.

I very much appreciate your willingness to support College of Design students! Going to graduate school was a big decision for me, especially financially, so having additional support really makes a difference. Thank you!