Mental Health Center Design Project Wins Donghia Scholarship for Fay Jones School Student

In Northwest Arkansas, movement through the natural environment is a part of everyday life. Caitlin Swanson, a U of A student from Salem, Oregon, drew on that sense of connection between people and the landscape for her design of a mental wellness center located along the Razorback Greenway in Fayetteville. Inspired by the region's extensive trail system and biking culture, the project positions access, movement and community as essential elements of healing and design.

Her thoughtful, site-driven approach helped earn Swanson, a fourth-year interior architecture and design student in the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design, a $30,000 scholarship from the Angelo Donghia Foundation, the most prestigious scholarship in interior design education.

Named in honor of acclaimed interior designer Angelo Donghia, the scholarship supports senior interior architecture and interior design students during their final year of undergraduate study. Established in 2002, the highly competitive award is presented annually to a select group of students nationwide and is judged by a distinguished jury of leaders in interior design, architecture and design media.

Previously, six other Fay Jones School students have received this honor. Most recently, Cassie Roberts and Olivia Everett were recognized as the 2024 recipients. Before that, Anna Arendt received the scholarship in 2019, and Jessica Baker and Christine Wass received it in 2016. Kelly Walsh was the first U of A student to receive the scholarship in 2015. Over the past 11 years, the Fay Jones School has received more than $340,000 in faculty research grants and student scholarships from the Donghia Foundation.

"The level of support we have received from the Donghia Foundation over the last 10 years is astounding. It's reflective of the depth of talent, intellectual curiosity and work ethic of our students and faculty," said Carl Matthews, head of the Department of Interior Architecture and Design.

For her submission, Swanson chose a project that challenged students to design a mental wellness center for teens on a site adjacent to the Razorback Greenway near Wilson Park. She developed the project during a third-year studio in the spring 2025 semester, led by Jennifer Webb, associate professor of interior architecture and design, with Kim Furlong, associate professor of interior architecture and design, serving as her section leader.

"Caitlin finished the semester's work with a really strong spatial idea and programmatic response," Webb said. "What really sets her work apart, though, is the deeper dive into the concept. Everything from the clinic name to the signage, materials and inside-outside connections!"

The Trail at the Heart

Designed within a mass timber structure, the project draws inspiration from Northwest Arkansas' extensive trail systems and strong biking culture. The concept positions the journey to the building — whether by bike or foot — as part of the wellness experience itself.

"The trail became the heart of the concept, grounding the project in movement, community and the idea of growth as a journey," Swanson said. "Getting to the center is part of that journey whether you are biking, walking or jogging to the site. That movement itself becomes part of the process of mental fitness."

At the heart of the design is a "trailhead," a central gathering space that connects physical, social and mental wellness. The space includes community pin-up boards, bike storage, an accessible kitchen and nourishment area, comfortable seating and biophilic elements.

"The concept came from Northwest Arkansas' biking culture and the trail systems we have where all the trails are intertwined," Swanson said. "I wanted to explore how design could help de-stigmatize mental health for teens, while encouraging independence and community."

The project incorporates principles of the WELL Building Standard, developed by the International WELL Building Institute, which informed key decisions related to spatial organization, materiality and the connection between indoor and outdoor spaces. Swanson focused on five core WELL concepts — nourishment, movement, materials, mind and community — as guiding elements throughout the design.

Iteration in Action

Swanson described her design studio experience in the Fay Jones School as demanding but deeply rewarding. Like her peers, she spent long hours in the studio meeting review deadlines, refining ideas and pushing the project forward. After the final review, she continued developing the work for an additional month before submitting it for the scholarship.

"I think I landed on the final concept really late into the process," Swanson said. "I would say that last month is when it really started to click."

While spending the final month refining her project, Swanson was also beginning her internship at Perkins & Will, a globally recognized, research-based architecture and design firm in Dallas, Texas. Balancing both commitments required strong time management and dedication, skills that proved essential to successfully completing the project.

"Balancing that [project] with starting my internship was tough, but it pushed me to master time management and communication," Swanson said. "I've learned how to handle high-pressure situations, take feedback and turn ideas into something I'm proud to present."

She said that this studio was one of her favorites, particularly because the project spanned the entire semester. Having extended time to iterate allowed her to explore and refine multiple concepts without the added pressure of designing specifically for the scholarship. Instead, she approached the project as she would any studio assignment, following the same guidelines as her classmates.

"I probably changed my concept ideas… I can't even count how many times," Swanson said. "Because we had so much time to iterate that it allowed me to really nail the concept that I ended on."

Discovering Her Path

Swanson's path to interior architecture didn't begin with design right away. She entered high school drawn to logic-based subjects like math, but an art class during her freshman year introduced her to a different way of thinking. The course offered an opportunity to work hands-on and explore ideas visually, helping her realize that creativity could complement her other strengths rather than compete with them.

"That class kind of flipped a switch for me, and I realized how much I loved making things and thinking visually," Swanson said. "From there, I knew I wanted to find something that blended my logical, math-loving side with creativity, and interior architecture turned out to be the perfect mix."

Her decision to attend the U of A was shaped both by family ties and firsthand experience. After visiting Fayetteville several times while her older sister was a student, Swanson toured the Fay Jones School and was drawn to the strength of the design program and the sense of community.

"I'd always been interested in going out of state for college, and after my older sister moved to Arkansas a few years before me to study nursing at the University of Arkansas, I got to see firsthand what made it so special," Swanson said. "The charm of an SEC school, the people, the energy of Fayetteville were exactly what I was looking for."