“A Testament to the Church’s Presence in My Life”
Mallory Smith is a senior and architecture student at the University of Florida as well as a three-time scholarship recipient of the Heart of the City Foundation! She says, “I was born and raised in Orlando and I went to school at The Christ School and went to church at First Presbyterian Church of Orlando, so it’s been such an important place for me. I think my scholarship is a testament to the church’s presence in my life and a community that I can rely on, that’s been supportive of me my whole life.”
Most students have to work part-time—even full-time jobs—or take out strenuous student loans to get through college, oftentimes both. When she was accepted into the University of Florida’s rigorous undergraduate architecture program, Mallory Smith felt the financial pressure. Thankfully, over the last few years, she has been blessed to receive scholarships made possible by people like you, covering her out-of-pocket project expenses and even allowing her to study abroad in Greece!
Ever since middle school, Mallory had been hooked on the idea of becoming an architect. She had always been creative and enjoyed design. At school, she loved art class and indulged in the art projects. When it was time to declare her major at UF, she knew she had to give herself a chance at architecture, no matter how intimidating the program sounded.
Whenever she had talked to upperclassmen about the program, they would say, “Oh, it’s so hard,” or, “It’s really challenging. Be prepared to be up all night all of the time.” Mallory explains, “It’s one of those majors where, once you start taking the classes, you know if it’s meant for you or it’s not.” Luckily, it was meant for her. Now she has really fallen in love with architecture.
However, as Mallory was warned, the program doesn’t leave much time for rest, much less a job. Also, she as a student is responsible for paying for all her architecture project materials, which can really add up. And it’s no secret that student loans have a tendency to bury young people in debt, which a lot of students now know to be wary of.
That’s where you have been able to step up for Mallory. For her sophomore, junior, and now senior years of college, she has been chosen to receive a scholarship, creating some space for peace as well as once-in-a-lifetime opportunities!
“I’m friends with a few people who have been impacted by the scholarships, too,” she says, “It’s just such a blessing for us, for them to be so consistent. I mean, how lucky am I to have been granted one the past few years. It makes a difference.”
Because of your generosity, she’s been able to design and construct some neat projects for her architecture courses without breaking the bank. With her minor in Sustainability in the Built Environment, she’s also been able to incorporate eco-friendly innovation (something she’s super passionate about) into these projects.
Mallory shares, “Sustainability in the Built Environment has to do with buildings and urban planning and everything that comes with planning the communities of the future. It’s so intertwined with architecture.
“I had never even been to Europe before, so it was all so cool to see how their country is so old,” says Mallory, “It’s hard to even fathom, living in America. These buildings have been there for thousands of years. As an architect and as a designer, we have to consider our communities and resilience in the future, so it was just so cool being in Europe and seeing all of the history that’s there.”
“There’s a lot of science that goes into it—really cool technology, like solar panels that provide enough energy to run the building and buildings around it, so they give back to the electrical grid. Rainwater harvesting—we get lots of water here in Florida, so you can harvest the rain and use it for nonpotable needs, like flushing toilets and watering plants. And it’s becoming more possible for people. It’s not at such a premium cost anymore. It’s been great to see.”
Thanks to her scholarship, she also was able to go on an invaluable study abroad trip in Greece this past summer. In Greece, she cherished the chance to tour not only the ancient ruins but also some of the most sustainable buildings in the world. She felt so lucky and inspired to get to see those structures with her own eyes.
As an architect, Mallory’s hope is to serve others by helping them transform their dreams into reality. “I think that being an architect,” she says, “you have such a unique role and you can really work alongside people to fulfill a lifelong dream of theirs. They’’ll have a house to live in for the next 50 years or a community center that really makes a difference for the people who live nearby or a skyscraper that’s a great place for an amazing foundation.”
Once she finishes her final year as an undergraduate student, she’ll be off to graduate school to finish her studies in architecture. Thank you so much for empowering students like Mallory and sustaining and extending the reach of our church through them!
