The Pat Sanchez Women’s Fellowship

In honor of Pat Sanchez, retired Principal and Business Manager at Opsis Architecture, Opsis partnered with the Architecture Foundation of Oregon (AFO) to establish the Pat Sanchez Women’s Fellowship.

Pat retired after 21 years as the business manager at Opsis, helping to shape the direction and values of the firm. She has long been a strong advocate for women in the profession, especially tied to common barriers that women experience. Pat worked tirelessly to find creative solutions to support staff, including establishing Opsis’ paid family leave policy, flex schedules, and creating opportunities for professional development.

About the Fellowship

The fellowship is available to all women who are mid-career and looking to expand upon their work and professional development. The up to $3,000 monetary award can be used to attend professional conferences, local college course work, or specialty seminars focused on various aspects of the industry including design, firm management, building enclosure design, business development, leadership, etc.

AFO and Opsis encourage Oregon women who are practicing in the field of architecture to apply for the Pat Sanchez Women’s Fellowship. The candidate should demonstrate a strong interest in advancing specific aspects of their career.  Applicants should submit a professional resume and written proposal, outlining both the candidate’s plan for utilizing the scholarship funds and how the experience will be used to further their personal career development.

Eligibility for 2023 award

All Women who meet the following criteria are welcome to apply:

  • Currently practicing within the architecture profession
  • Minimum professional experience of 5 years in the architecture profession
  • Licensure is not required
  • Oregon Resident

Application Requirements

Please submit the following to support@opsisarch.com; subject line include “Pat Sanchez Fellowship”

– 500 word (maximum) proposal: Clearly outline the candidates professional background and interest in the identified area of study. Include an itemized breakdown of the candidate’s proposed use of fellowship funds – identifying specific classes, workshops, seminars or conferences this will be applied to. The proposed use of funds could be a combination of classes/events and can include related travel expenses. The awarded funds should be utilized between the dates of January 2024 and December 2024.

– Professional resume

If you are not able to submit your application electronically, please print and mail it to Opsis Architecture, 920 NW 17th Ave, Portland, OR 97209. We will accept mailed applications postmarked by the deadline.

Application Deadline:

The application period for 2023 has closed.