ASLA-NY Scholarships

ASLA-NY awards the following three scholarships annually:


ASLA-NY Equitable Public Urban Space Scholarship

Award: $5000

Deadline: February 1

The New York Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA-NY) established this scholarship to support future leaders who will strive to make living in urban environments more equitable, healthier and enjoyable.  ASLA-NY encompasses the five boroughs of New York City, Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island, and Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Orange and Rockland counties.

The award is open to currently-enrolled undergraduate or master’s students studying landscape architecture at Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board (LAAB) accredited programs in the United States. To be eligible, the applicant’s university must be within the ASLA-NY Chapter boundary*, or the applicant must be a permanent resident of the Chapter boundary, or must have graduated from a high school within the ASLA-NY Chapter boundary.  Applicants must be U.S. citizens and have a minimum “B” grade point average (2.5-3.5).

Candidates must demonstrate a commitment to and interest in equitable design of the public realm including:

  • Their approach to academic or real world public projects,
  • How they attempt to reflect the breadth of public needs and culture,
  • Organizations they may have worked for that contribute to the public realm,
  • Related volunteer activities,
  • A unique approach to equitable urban public space design as described in their essay and supported by their recommendation letters,
  • Creative methods of public participation in the design process as demonstrated in their work samples, or
  • Other ways that the candidate can make the case for their passion for equitable public space design.

Candidates are evaluated based on:

  • Clear response to essay question (40%)
  • Creativity in approach to design (30%)
  • Quality of writing (20%)
  • Proven volunteer efforts (10%)

Applications are made through the Landscape Architecture Foundation.  CLICK HERE to apply

Donate to the ASLA-NY Equitable Public Urban Space Scholarship

To contribute to the ASLA-NY Equitable Public Urban Space Scholarship, you must make a donation through the Landscape Architecture Foundation and indicate that your donation should be applied to the ASLA-NY scholarship in the “Why do you support LAF? field.  Please note that you must make this notation in order for your donation to be directed to the scholarship fund.  Click here to donate.


ASLA-NY Student Scholarship for Second Year Student at CCNY MLA Program

Award: $2,000

This scholarship is awarded to a Student Member of the ASLA who achieves the second highest grade point average in the class.  The student should be entering their third year of the MLA program at CCNY.

Contact: Hannah Borgeson at CCNY, hborgeson@ccny.cuny.edu


ASLA-NY Diversity Scholarship

Amount: $1000 (one award)

Deadline: April 15

The ASLA-NY Diversity Scholarship is awarded in conjunction with the Spitzer School of Architecture to a City University of New York (CUNY) undergraduate student entering into City College of New York’s Spitzer School of Architecture Master of Landscape Architecture Program. Preference will be given to minority students graduating with a Bachelor of Architecture, but all disciplines of study will be considered.

The student must complete a 500 word essay:

Essay question (250-500 words): How do you hope to use landscape architecture to promote diversity and equity in the public realm? Please use examples, if any, of your own engagement in community activism.

Contact: Hannah Borgeson at CCNY, hborgeson@ccny.cuny.edu

Scholarship Winners

2022 ASLA-NY Equitable Public Urban Space Scholarship

Savannah Wright - Photo

Savannah Wright
SUNY ESF student
Class of 2023

Savannah Wright is a native resident of Rochester, NY and an avid designer. She is currently finishing up her 5th year of SUNY ESF’s undergraduate landscape architecture program, and will be continuing various projects after graduation that pertain to psychological accessibility in public space, and recycled materials design. 

Starting her academic career in an architecture program made Savannah quickly realize that she wanted engagement with the environment and natural systems. Because of this, she transferred universities her sophomore year and since then, landscape architecture has become the perfect outlet for her passions and avant-garde ideas. 

Savannah specializes in 3D photorealistic rendering, graphic presentation, and systems coordination. Her passions related to design include urban revitalization, social and psychological accessibility, and multi-use development. Outside of her professional career, Savannah is also a competitive MMA fighter and singer/songwriter.

Previous winners:
Jeana Fletcher (2022)
Casey Breen (2021)
Natalie Galarza (2020)
Anna Speidel (2019)
Hana Georg (2018)
Rivka Weinstock (2017)
Ruth Nervig (2016)

Recipients of the ASLA-NY 2023 Scholarship Award:

Courtney Behrens
David Smucker

Recipient of the ASLA-NY 2021 Diversity Scholarship:

Micheal Shepard

Previous Winners:

Miguelina Portorreal
Nafisa Nusrat Iqbal (2017)
Garrett Ray (2016)

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