Originally from Tucson, Arizona, Helena Schlegel graduated from Canyon Del Oro High School in 2012. As an undergraduate student in the Robert D. Clark Honors College at the University of Oregon, Schlegel intends to graduate in 2016 with degrees in economics and Spanish and a minor in mathematics.  

Schlegel is a Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics Scholar and works as an intern for U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley. Working to combat sexual assualt and gender violence, she serves on the University of Oregon Organization Against Sexual Assault and is a Dispatcher for SafeRide, the assault prevention shuttle on campus.

In the past few years Schlegel has served as both an Assoicated Students of the University of Oregon (ASUO) and University Senate Senator. In addition, she has worked closely with the Oregon Student Association (OSA) to advocate for student issues including tuition equity, medical amnesty and the Oregon Opportunity Grant