UO Alumni Association scholarship recipient and Presidential Scholar Chauncey Freeman ’09, current president of The Flight (the student alumni association) talks about his time at the UO and his plans after graduation.

Q. Where are you from and what did you do before coming to the UO?

A. Growing up in Junction City, OR, there was an endless supply of entrepreneurship opportunities. Living on a farm we had a small menagerie of the usual animals and for nine years I showed a steer at the Lane County Youth Fair. Additionally, I was active throughout high school in the Future Farmers of America going to nationals to compete in nursery landscape, agronomy and environmental science; in 2003 receiving first place in the nation for both individual and team environmental science.

Q. What made you decide to come to UO?

A. My choice to come to the UO was not difficult, knowing that my passions were related to landscape architecture and business, making Oregon a natural choice. I also wanted to stay relatively close to home because of my landscape business. This past summer I had the opportunity to study abroad in Japan, learning the some of the lesser known secrets of garden construction and watercolor techniques. That’s the most interesting experience I have had so far.

Q. You received a UO Alumni Association scholarship. What impact has this had on you?

A. Having the opportunities as a Presidential Scholar, plus the added support of an Alumni Association scholarship my freshman year, it was a natural progression to return the favor by volunteering with The Flight. This past year has marked my first term as president of the organization and I have had the opportunity to see great change over the past four years. What was once a small, unrecognized group of students has now become the third largest student organization on campus with more than 700 members. We are continuing to grow our image with exciting events (like Flight Fest, the away game football bus and Homecoming & Family Weekend) that will make others’ UO experiences more memorable.

Q. What are your plans after college?

A. Going into my final year at the UO will be an important transition into a career where I will blend my double major of Business Entrepreneurship and Landscape Architecture. While I am still unsure what will result after I graduate, I hope to spend some additional time abroad to continue my education and gain more knowledge, hopefully resulting in the successful launch of a business in Oregon.