Olivia Lewis, a second-year Master of Architecture student, has been named this year’s recipient of the Hartshorne and Plunkard Fellowship. The fellowship seeks to increase the number of architecture degrees awarded to students from traditionally underrepresented populations and, in turn, diversify the architectural profession. The fellow receives significant tuition support for up to three years of graduate study, a paid internship at Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture (HPA), and academic and professional mentoring.
Olivia, who is from Rockford, IL, received her undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois Chicago. She has an interest in interior architecture and a passion for community work and seeks to design projects that positively impact people at a local level. Renovation and restoration are also avenues she would like to pursue during her professional career.
“The experience one feels inside of a work of architecture is a driving force behind my design decisions. Atmosphere, color, texture, and materiality are all mediums with which I experiment to achieve a variety of emotional experiences within a project.”
“I am grateful to have been chosen for the Hartshorne and Plunkard Fellowship. This award allows me to put all of my efforts into studying and practicing architecture with the peace of mind that I am financially stress-free and, more importantly, I appreciate having the opportunity to receive mentorship and wisdom from accomplished individuals in this field that will prepare for practice outside of academia.”
The fellowship was initiated and funded by school alumni Ray Hartshorne and Jim Plunkard. They established HPA in 1987. We congratulate them on the firm’s thirty-six years and look forward to continuing collaborations around and extending from the fellowship.
Applications for next year’s fellowship are due January 15. For more information, visit the fellowship page on our site.