ANNOUNCING OUR 2023-24 EDWARD WAYNE BARNETT AND AUDREY SPENCER-HORSLEY DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION SCHOLARS

The Edward Wayne Barnett and Audrey Spencer-Horsley Scholarships were established in spring 2020 in support of the School of Architecture’s commitment to expanding access to education and professional development, and ensuring that the learning and working environments we shape are inclusive in serving all people. The scholarships are named after Mr. Barnett and Ms. Spencer-Horsley, the School’s first African American graduates, and recognize their ability to break boundaries within their fields and their dedicated advocacy on behalf of the underserved or underrepresented. The School is excited to announce this year’s Barnett Scholar—Thomas Ryan; and Spencer-Horsley Scholars—Nishat Tasnim Maria, Maia Paige, and Jessica Wey.

2023–24 EDWARD WAYNE BARNETT SCHOLAR:
THOMAS RYAN

This fall, Thomas "Tommy" Ryan begins his graduate architecture studies at the School of Architecture, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Architecture in May 2023. In his prior role as the school's undergraduate Student Council President, Tommy led several key initiatives to foster an equitable and inclusive community, including one that resulted in a more fair-minded hiring policy for student workers. In the wake of last November's tragic shooting, Tommy worked with a team of students and staff to design and fabricate memorials to honor the lives of UVA's Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr., and D'Sean Perry.

Throughout his first four years at Campbell Hall, Tommy dedicated his studio work to uncovering and amplifying untold stories from individuals and communities. This fall, he will collaborate with residents of Charlottesville's Kindlewood community (formerly Friendship Court) to create a cookbook based on community member's food traditions and recipes. Tommy said, "from a young age, my purpose in life was to uplift others, and since I have been in school I have understood that the way I am going to do that is by attacking issues of equity, social justice, and inclusion in the communities that I care about." 

2023–24 AUDREY SPENCER-HORSLEY SCHOLARS:
NISHAT TASNIM MARIA, MAIA PAIGE, AND JESSICA WEY

As a self-described "urban research enthusiast," Nishat Tasnim Maria joins the School of Architecture's Master of Urban and Environmental Planning (MUEP) program to further her knowledge in community planning, sustainability, and equity. After completing a Bachelor in Urban and Rural Planning from Khulna University in Bangladesh, Nishat joined the GCRF Centre for Sustainable, Healthy, and Learning Cities and Neighbourhoods (SHLC) project at Khulna University as an early career researcher. Like Audrey Spencer-Horsley, Nishat's focus is on neighborhood development.

The hardships in her own community have inspired Nishat to work for disempowered people to ensure access, equity, and inclusion. At Swansea University, Nishat was involved in a research project that aimed to alleviate poverty in rural Bangladesh, and she is the author of "Learning during COVID-19: Experiences from the Low-Income Neighbourhoods of Urban Bangladesh," a paper she has presented internationally. Through the MUEP program, Nishat wants to continue the legacy of Spencer-Horsley and be a leading expert in community planning and address inequalities globally.

As an undergraduate political science major at Boston College, Maia Paige discovered her love for design when working in the school's Design and Innovation Department as a Maker Space Specialist. There, she gained drafting skills, CAD training, and experience on fabrication equipment, ranging from 3D printers to woodworking machines. "This job," Maia said, "combined with my educational background in social sciences, sparked my interest in community-based design and innovating for others. I view architecture as a lived experience that affects not only the quality of life, but also influences the dynamics of equity and inclusion."

Throughout her secondary education, Maia was often the only black woman, and usually the only black person in the classroom. As Maia begins her graduate architecture studies at UVA, she wants to aid in building a community in which everyone can see pieces of themselves. Her career goal is to enrich urban conditions through architectural policy and implementation, especially in communities that are disenfranchised. "I want to amplify the voices of the unheard and underrepresented in every community that I am welcomed into."

One reason Jessica Wey chose to pursue a graduate degree in architecture at UVA was the opportunity to work with faculty doing innovative research on sustainability in design. As an undergraduate engineering major at Duke University, Jessica found her passion for sustainable design. She aspires to have her own architecture firm and expand access to affordable and sustainable housing. 

"I grew up in a low-income area where there are families of 7 living in small 800-square-foot houses with no heating or air conditioning in neighborhoods called 'Colonias.' While visiting the Colonias in middle school to help hand out donations, I was struck with grief at how there were not better, affordable living conditions made available to these families. This piqued my interest in affordable housing and the question of why there was not a larger effort in building these structures." 

The School of Architecture congratulates the DEI Scholars—Nishat Tasnim Maria, Maia Paige, Thomas Ryan, and Jessica Wey.