Opportunity

Scholarship Gives Student a Break

For architecture undergraduate student Alina Graham, the Michael and Penny Wilkes Architecture Scholarship means a break from working in retail. “And that will be great,” she says, “because I can just focus my time on my thesis” —that, and volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and the HOPES Ecological Design Conference.

Graham, who has worked part-time during most of her college years, also relies on loans, federal grants, and other scholarships.

“I don’t know that it would have been possible without financial aid, because I am not really able to get any other financial support from my parents, other than the loans they take out,” she says. Scholarships also provide a personal impetus. “You don’t want to let that person down. Obviously, they picked you for a reason. It’s definitely motivating.”

After graduation, Graham plans to gain experience in an architecture firm to become an urban designer.
“Hopefully, someday I’ll be able to contribute to the UO by establishing a scholarship for other architecture students,” she says. “It’s a great opportunity for a dialogue between the donor and the recipient—not just financial support, but also mentoring.”

When she met San Diego architect Mike Wilkes and his wife, Penny, “He looked at my portfolio and gave me some advice,” says Graham. “We are going to continue e-mailing and he is going to give me some tips on interviews for when I graduate.”