Cheryl Zeng (left image), recipient of the 16th annual Landscape Forms Scholarship in Memory of Peter Schaudt, FASLA, is a third-year landscape architecture student at Cornell University who found a calling in landscape architecture's combination of art and science. "I spent my first two years studying civil engineering, finished the whole engineering core, and was working a civil engineering internship when I had the realization that this wasn't the fit for me. Then I found out about landscape architecture," describes Cheryl. "After moving from Houston to Ithaca, with its beautiful gorges and waterfalls, I felt like I had finally found my appreciation for nature. I experienced how being in beautiful natural landscapes touches people's lives, helps us become happier and healthier, and connects people together in a unique way. I became really inspired by using landscape architecture to bring these experiences to cities, address the inequitable distribution of green space, and share the beauty that I found in the natural world." We are proud of Cheryl for working to combine her passions for art, science, and nature, an inspiring mix that we think makes her a perfect fit for our field.

Jakobi Johnson (middle image), co-recipient of the Landscape Forms Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Scholarship, is a second-year landscape architecture student at Michigan State University whose interests span the design fields of historical preservation and restoration, plaza design, and parks and recreation. "I'm originally from Detroit, so I'm especially interested in combining my design passions in ways that can positively influence Detroit's youth," says Jakobi. "More meaningful landscapes add vibrance to communities, and especially in urban neighborhoods with greater blight and adversity. Access to sustainable, resilient landscapes can have a really positive impact on livelihood and wellbeing. I want to use design to help revitalize communities, improve economic mobility, and promote diverse racial integration, while also promoting ecological health and environmental justice." We completely agree with Jakobi about the power of sustainable design to enhance wellbeing, and we're excited to see the positive impact her design passion will have on our industry.

Tairiq Mansfield (right image), co-recipient of the Landscape Forms Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Scholarship, is a landscape architecture, sustainability, and architecture student at Clemson University whose appreciation for design, creative thinking, and community sparked a passion for landscape architecture. "What I found in studying landscape architecture were the types of personal connections and a sense of community that I didn't find when I was studying engineering. Combined with my passions for designing and building things with my hands, I'm happy that I made the tough decision to switch majors," says Tariq. "I think especially in today's world, people need better connections with who they really are and where they're really from. Through landscape architecture, I want to create spaces that connect people to nature and community and expand the positive impact that these connections had in my life." We really admire the importance Tairiq places on reconnecting people with their community and their landscape, a mission we think will make him an incredible asset in landscape architecture.

The Landscape Forms Scholarship in Memory of Peter Lindsay Schaudt celebrates the 30-year career of a leader and visionary in landscape architecture. Peter was one of the founding principals of the award-winning firm, Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architecture in Chicago, Illinois and a dedicated member of the Board of Directors for Landscape Forms. He was widely admired for his incredible talent, dedication, generosity, and integrity – and passion for the “art of design.” This scholarship is open to landscape architecture students in their final two years of full-time undergraduate study in a LAAB- or LAAC-accredited program in the U.S. or Canada and is awarded on the basis of academic accomplishment and creative design ability. Applicants must demonstrate passion, commitment, and competence in creating artfully-designed places for people. Recent winners of this scholarship include Guadalupe Rodriguez from Cal Poly Pomona in 2019, Claire Jarvis from the University of Georgia in 2020, and Jordan Chiang from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 2021.

Celebrating its inaugural year in 2021,Landscape Forms Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Scholarship reflects our aim to help create a society where social justice and racial diversity are the norm. We believe the best workplaces embrace individuality where any person can feel a strong sense of belonging—we aspire to that reality for our own workplace, and we are committed to help spread this mindset across the whole of landscape architecture professions. This scholarship was established as a small but meaningful step toward achieving that vision of a just and diverse community in our industry, helping Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students advance in their education and career in landscape architecture. The Landscape Forms Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Scholarship is open to undergraduate landscape architecture students who identify as BIPOC and are currently enrolled in a LAAB- or LAAC-accredited program in the US or Canada. Candidates must demonstrate financial need, academic aptitude, and commitment to the discipline of landscape architecture.

Learn more about Landscape Forms’ scholarships and others available through the Landscape Architecture Foundation.