Megan Henry
Degree: Bachelor of Architecture
Expected Graduation Date: Spring 2026
2023 Scholarship
Baird Family Scholarship
DeNorval Unthank Jr. Memorial Scholarship in Architecture
RM Tollefson Architecture Scholarship Fund
PGE Illumination Scholarship
I Am Originally From Elko, Nevada
WHY I CAME TO THE UO AND HOW I CHOSE MY MAJOR
I chose the University of Oregon because it has the accredited program I was looking for, and it’s close to home!
Before high school, I had never considered architecture. When I was signing up for classes my freshman year of high school, I flipped through a course catalog and saw “Drafting and Design.” My dad told me he had taken that class in high school and hated it, so what better reason for me to take it? Long story short, I took this class for four years, with two of them concentrated on architecture, and I fell in love. I was lost before I found architecture, and when I found it, I knew it was the step for me.
UNIQUE QUALITIES I BRING TO MY STUDIES
Growing up in a poor household in rural Nevada taught me a lot about working hard and being grateful for what was given to me. I never had the opportunities that many others had—I couldn’t pay for sports, dance lessons, tutoring, etc, so I had to learn these things all myself. My parents showed me through example that working hard every day would lead to success later. I am truly grateful for the effort I put into school every moment. While I may not have had many friends or much of a social life, I excelled in my studies and made sacrifices to make it to college. This includes taking a gap year between high school and college in order to become a resident of Oregon to afford college. This really taught me patience. I have taken all these experiences and lessons with me to college. I am truly dedicated to my studies so I can continue to get the financial aid I need to attend school.
MY INFLUENTIAL PROFESSORS
Megan Haight was the best architectural studio professor I’ve had. She constantly pushed me to grow while believing in my skills. She gave great feedback that felt like she truly cared about my designs. I learned that I deserved to have confidence in myself.
MY EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
I have been involved in several local church organizations. I thank God every day for that I’m at an amazing school with wonderful opportunities that I am so lucky to have. I enjoy worshipping and celebrating God with others.
MY GREATEST LEARNING EXPERIENCE AT UO
The hardest thing to learn, but the most rewarding was learning that the only person I needed to compare myself to was my past self. I spent a long time thinking that I had to draw like other students or have computer skills like them, and so many other things. But slowly I realized that I needed to be proud of myself for how far I had grown, what I could achieve now that I couldn’t do at the start of college.
AFTER GRADUATION
I hope to change the world. Well… maybe not the whole world, but my world. I want to change the community around me into a better place. I hope to achieve this by using my architecture degree to design low-income housing. I want to help people have dignity in a place they call home and for hildren to grow up in stable housing situations. I think that everyone deserves human rights and having a home is one of them.
YOUR GIFT
All of these scholarships mean that I can afford to to do a study abroad in Vicenza in Spring. I am delighted at the opportunity to explore that world and cultures. I truly believe that looking at past architecture is how we design better in the future. Where could be better than the ancient buildings in Italy? I am so excited to travel and learn from such wonderful professors.
I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Money has never been easy for my family and these scholarships relieve a huge burden that me and my parents must carry. I can focus on school without worrying sop much about the cost and that is such a freeing experience of peace. I couldn’t go to college without you. So thank you, truly it means the world to me.