Stephen Lorber

This is a photo of me and my classmates during a studio field visit to a park in Portland. I am on the far left.

Degree: MLArch

Expected Graduation Date: Spring 2022

Previous Degree: BA, Sustainable Community Development, Northland College, Ashland, WI

I’m From: Racine, WI

Why I Came to the UO and How I Chose My Major
I chose UO’s master’s in landscape architecture program for its emphasis on ecological and sustainable design. I most appreciate the accessible faculty and their willingness to push narratives forward.

After extensively researching urban planning degrees, I found that landscape architecture allowed more creativity in building communities and restoring ecosystems.

Unique Qualities I Bring to My Studies
I bring a background in developing sustainable and equitable food systems (physically and systematically), community organizing, and activist art.

My Influential Professors
Chris Enright has imparted a sense of accepted divergence from the traditional track of landscape architecture, where I grew to feel more comfortable pushing the boundaries of what projects our field can engage with, from ecological restoration to community organizing, instead of the traditionalist approach of just beautifully designed spaces.

My Extracurricular Activities
I’m currently part of a team creating an Equity Toolkit for the landscape architecture department that is analyzing curriculum, department culture, and community connections through an equity lens. I also volunteer as part of the Pioneer Statue Reinvisioing Committee and campus Urban Farm. I find these actions vital to the development of the landscape architecture field and myself in that these projects allow the profession and me to be more dynamic in how we are prepared to engage with space and the increasingly complex social structures that utilize that space.

My Greatest Learning Experience at UO
The greatest learning experiences have been in-field studying of landscape sites. This structure is incredibly impactful as I gain context that can’t be taught in the studio.

After Graduation
When I complete my degree, I hope to be working on large-scale design solutions that center on creating more climate-resilient landscapes, particularly in spaces where urban environments intersect with ecological systems.

Your Gift
This scholarship is allowing me to be more flexible in how I spend my time throughout grad school. With less of a financial burden, I’m allowed to spend more of the time I would usually need to be working for a paycheck, with time researching, advocating, and volunteering for groups and projects that further my growth in the landscape architecture field.

Thank you! I am using this scholarship in the best way I can to further grow in my field.