Hunter Industries understands the value of collegiate landscape education. That’s why we’re renewing our University Support Program at the upcoming 2021 ASLA Conference on Landscape Architecture this fall. Here’s how it works:
- Visit the Hunter booth (#1607) November 20–21, 2021, to pledge a $10 dollar donation, in Hunter’s name, to a collegiate landscape design program of your choice.
- Spend some time talking to a booth representative and we’ll increase your pledge to $50.
When we debuted this program at the 2019 ASLA Conference, it was an instant success! During the two-day event, we gathered nearly 400 pledges for 26 colleges with a value of over $13,000. The checks we sent to the different colleges ranged from $200 to thousands of dollars.
Many of the recipients were extremely excited about the unexpected donations. One of these was California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. They used the money to help establish the Students in Need Fund, which will assist students who show promise in the program but have a high financial need.
“This fund will help first-generation students, underrepresented minorities, or those who need help closing financial gaps on their way to graduation,” said Beverly Bass, landscape architecture department head and professor at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. “The generous donation from Hunter has gotten us much closer to our fundraising goal. I'm so grateful to Hunter for their support and I know the students who will benefit from this fund will be grateful as well.”
So why are we doing this? For one, landscape architecture and design is a growing profession that’s gaining mainstream exposure. In addition, green infrastructure development, climate change resiliency, and equitable public spaces are being discussed with greater frequency by governing bodies as viable solutions for a range of global challenges. Finally, water quantity and quality issues require educated professionals to manage the cost of water consumption versus the ecosystem benefits provided by built landscapes.
For these reasons, Hunter remains devoted to supporting emerging professionals. By investing in collegiate landscape design education programs through the University Support Program, we hope to ensure the next generation of landscape designers has access to the knowledge and tools they need to succeed in the industry.
Be sure to stop by our booth this fall to pledge your collegiate program! Not registered for the conference? Click below.