LAF is now accepting faculty-recommended nominations from all LAAB accredited universities for the 2010 Olmsted Scholars Program, which identifies, recognizes and supports students with exceptional leadership potential who are committed to developing sustainable landscape solutions to current and critical public issues. The $25,000 award is given to assist a graduate or undergraduate landscape architecture student with their research and financial needs.

LAF is accepting applications for its 2010 Leadership in Landscape Scholarship Program and will offer over $39,000 in awards. LAF scholarships and fellowships reward superior student performance, assist students with unmet financial need and recognize and support original research that is relevant to landscape architecture. Click here to go to our scholarship page.

Congratulations to Richard Heriford, the winner of the Landscape Architecture Foundation's first Sustainable Destination Sweepstakes! Richard is the lucky recipient of an all expense paid, week-long trip for two to EDSA's Crosswaters Ecolodge & Spa in Guangdong Province, China. Upon being notified of being the winner Richard expressed his disbelief, "I didn't expect to win, I was just trying to help LAF's research and scholarship programs.

The Landscape Architecture Foundation's 24th Annual Benefit, Millennium Magic, held September 18th at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion Stage at Millennium Park, was a great success. Contributions from the event exceeded $63,000, providing critical support for LAF programs including the Olmsted Scholars Program, the prestigious national scholarship award which recognizes leadership in sustainable design and planning. LAF was delighted to recognize over half of the 2009 Olmsted Scholars at the event, including David Malda from the University of Virginia, the 2009 National Olmsted Scholar and recipient of the $25,000 award.

David Malda, a graduate student at the University of Virginia, has been selected as National Olmsted Scholar and recipient of the $25,000 award. David is pursuing a dual master's degree in Landscape and Building Architecture. He plans to use the award to develop a report and online forum on the health of urban landscapes.Also honored are four national finalists: Peter Emerson, Temple University; Brent Jacobsen, University of Arizona; Timothy Mollette-Parks, University of California, Berkeley; and Emily Vogler, University of Pennsylvania.