Lindsey Kurtz

In this photo I am in the Willamette National Forest doing fieldwork with a professor. We are wearing masks and social distancing, which was challenging but we were able to make it work.

Degree: MLArch

Expected Graduation Date: Spring 2022

Previous Degree: BS, Environmental Geography, Geospatial Certificate, University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI

I’m From: Shawano, WI

Why I Came to the UO and How I Chose My Major
I chose the University of Oregon because the master’s in landscape architecture program emphasizes the natural environment as much as the built environment. I enjoy learning how to design for both and how both interact with each other. After completing my first year, what impresses me the most about the College of Design is the people in the department, both students and professors. I have great colleagues in my cohort who are supportive and caring. I feel comfortable going to a professor about issues with schoolwork and with complications outside of the classroom knowing that I will be met with empathy and understanding. They care about the students and want each of us to succeed.

I decided this major was the next step towards my future career after completing my degree in environmental geography. It uses my previous knowledge and applies it in new ways.

Unique Qualities I Bring to My Studies
I’ve been privileged to be a part of two different faculty led study abroad trips, one in Europe, another in Belize. Each trip introduced me to new people and cultures, particularly how they addressed issues ranging from environmental conservation to the preservation of history (namely, the Holocaust in Central Europe). A landscape architect addresses these issues and many more. Personally, I see the mere introduction of these topics during my undergraduate studies as an asset to me as I continue to navigate this program because I can actively pursue these topics in my graduate studios and other classes.

My Influential Professors
I really enjoyed my time in my first design studio with Zannah Matson, a visiting assistant professor. She was intense, but pushed me to think critically about the landscape from multiple perspectives. I also learned about model building, a critical part of communicating design work to other professionals and the public in landscape architecture. She continues to be a resource to me for both school and career related inquiries.

My Extracurricular Activities
I volunteer on Sundays at my church to help set up our donut and coffee station for the people attending. This is important for me because not only am I able to help my church, it helps me connect to both my friends and visitors and creates the healthy community I need to thrive here in Eugene.

My Greatest Learning Experience at UO
I would say the greatest learning experience I’ve had thus far was my entire first year in this gradaute program. I realized there was so much I didn’t know, and it pushed my comfort zone and the extent of abilities in many areas. It was a humbling experience, but by the end of the year, I realized how far I had come and how much I was able to learn in such a short amount of time.

After Graduation
My goal is to pursue a career that uses what I’m learning at UO to make better spaces for others. “Better spaces” includes the social, environmental, and built aspects of that space.

Your Gift
This scholarship is incredibly important to me. I am doing my best to support myself during my time at UO, and with the unexpected complications of COVID, things have become even more unstable financially. Any amount of aid lessens my financial burden and allows me to spend more time on school work instead of working a job.

Thank you for your generosity. This scholarship is so important to me as a student with little funds to be supported financially in my journey to complete my degree. I hope that someday I will be in a position to support others in the same way I am supported now.