It was just a casual comment – but the end result spoke volumes.
In 2002, Mary Henry was in her final year at Long Bay College on Auckland’s North Shore. Her career advisor happened to mention the opportunity of a Keystone scholarship, and the sporty head girl, prefect and high-achieving student decided to explore.
“When I first got told about the scholarship, the financial support seemed like the most significant thing. But as time went by I realised the biggest value was the network I was building through Keystone, and insights into how the industry works.”
Mary is now an architect and Principal at Jasmax and co-leads the Education team within the practice. She started there as a new graduate and punctuated her tenure over the years with other architectural posts, internationally and locally, before returning home to her original employer. In addition to her Principal post, she is also an executive board member.
She still remembers where she was when she heard she was one of four Graeme Bringans Property Education Trust (later Keystone) awardees. She also remembers her mother – who raised her and her two siblings single-handedly and was ordinarily not one to cry – having tears in her eyes. “Things were tough for us financially, and I knew I would have to support myself through my degree. I was determined to do whatever I could to not leave university with a huge amount of debt,” says Mary.
Her architectural leanings perhaps had their genesis at the family home when, while still at school, she decided to renovate the kitchen. It wasn’t a big-budget operation, but Mary’s love of art (and hardware stores) saw her strip the wallpaper and repaint the walls before ripping out and replacing the kitchen cabinets. Visually, the net effect may have been something of a colour collision, but it was a job well done.
Architecture became a natural academic path. Mary had already demonstrated a strong interest and ability in art and creative subjects, but she was also a structured, calculated thinker; her tertiary study option enabled her to explore both.
During her first year at the University of Auckland, Mary faced personal tragedy with the death of her mother after a short illness. The Keystone support that had already proved invaluable stepped up another notch. “Having that stability and strong sense of support was so significant to me,” says Mary. The trust stuck by her when she took a year out to study at McGill University in Montreal after her mother’s death – something which was quite healing she says.
She has since grown to further appreciate the Keystone contribution. “When I first got told about the scholarship, the financial support seemed like the most significant thing. But as time went by I realised the biggest value was the network I was building through Keystone, and insights into how the industry works.” The alumni relationships are also becoming increasingly significant as her career develops, Mary adds.
With a passion for education her professional portfolio now includes capital works projects and masterplans for universities across Aotearoa, including the sustainably designed Mana Hauora Building for long-time client AUT, the first major development on the University’s South Campus. Mary is currently leading a masterplan for AUT’s North Campus and was part of the team responsible for the concept for AUTs A1 building, an innovative multi-storey timber building currently nearing completion.
She and her partner have two young children. She was made a principal while on parental leave; likewise, she was encouraged to put her hand up for the board role as a part-timer. “I’m fortunate to be working somewhere like Jasmax that supports working mothers as they return to work and enables such flexibility. In my role as an Executive Director, I was told that being a mum and working part-time was an asset to a board, and that my life experiences would bring a fresh perspective, adding value to the work we do.”
