2023 Recipient of the Kelly J. Edwards Architecture Scholarship
Author
Vanita Carrillo-Rush
Scott Edwards Architecture’s Kelly J. Edwards Architecture Scholarship is named for SEA co-founder, Kelly J. Edwards, and serves to honor his legacy as a mentor to young staff and an architect dedicated to his craft. We launched this annual scholarship in partnership with ACE Mentor Program of Oregon, an after-school program that helps high school students explore careers in architecture, construction management, and engineering. It awards $5,000 to a student who is pursuing a college degree in Architecture, and the recipient then joins SEA for a summer internship.
This scholarship is now in its fourth year, and we are thrilled to announce our 2023 recipient, Andrew Gorecki. Andrew is starting his sophomore year at the University of Oregon and is pursuing a Bachelor of Architecture. Prior to U of O, he attended Corbett High School in Portland and participated in the ACE Mentor Program of Oregon. When asked what impact ACE has had on his educational experience, Andrew shared that he believes he “was able to gain a foundational understanding regarding the design process, and the nature of architecture as a career” and that “personal connections to architects and other design professionals” is a resource from the program he still uses.
When asked what impact ACE has had on his educational experience, Andrew shared that he believes he ‘was able to gain a foundational understanding regarding the design process, and the nature of architecture as a career.’
What initially drew Andrew to architecture predates his ACE tenure. He shared that when he was a kid, his mom frequently signed him up for Saturday Academy classes that vastly ranged in topic—from coding to engineering to ballet, he was introduced to many occupations. When he was in middle school, she signed Andrew up for an architecture course, which stuck. The course was taught by a retired architect and discussed the intricacies and nuances of the field and the importance of critical thinking. Andrew’s impression of architecture after this class was that he could go his entire career and still learn new things every day, an aspect of the practice that resonates with him to this day.
Andrew’s impression of architecture after this class was that he could go his entire career and still learn new things every day, an aspect of the practice that resonates with him to this day.
As he enters his second year of school, he reflects on his growth and what he has really come to appreciate about the value of self-criticism—he enjoys seeing his designs evolve over time and become stronger. Andrew also shares that the more he’s learned, the more passionate he’s become about his career path. Non-pedigreed architecture—architecture developed not by architects but by people with a common heritage acting within a community experience—in particular, has inspired him, as it is hyper-localized to people and place and singular in nature. It’s this reason and an interest in handcrafted architecture that motivates Andrew to want to visit Iran. “Everything has symbolism, and everything has significance, and the interesting and unique iconography around religion feels cemented in where it’s from,” he says.
When he envisions his career as an architect, he wants to use design to impact future generations positively. Andrew is interested in education and affordable housing spaces and the ability of places like this to foster environments of equality. Both markets, he explains, “give anyone of any background an opportunity to strive and build great foundations for opportunities.” When asked what the receipt of this scholarship and internship mean to him, he says he’s looking forward to meeting and working with professionals in the field who can help him develop more impactful designs. And we at SEA can’t wait to welcome Andrew back next summer for his internship, because if there’s anything we’ve learned from this program, we stand to gain just as much from our recipients as they gain from us.
And speaking of, last year’s Kelly J. Edwards Architecture Scholarship recipient, Sophia Chin, has completed her internship and is starting her next year of studies. We asked Sophia to share her experience interning at SEA, and she had this to say:
“I’ve really enjoyed my experience; everyone I have worked with has been extremely attentive to my interests and made a point to learn about me and what I want to get out of my time at SEA. During my internship, I was involved with SEA’s sustainability efforts, mostly having to do with the material library standards. The research that I performed as part of that work has made me realize how important every part of a building is for sustainability. I am looking forward to going back to school in the fall with a much more nuanced understanding of architecture and design.”
