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Congratulations to Our 2026 Scholarship Winners!

The Landscape Architecture Foundation (LAF) has awarded a total of $168,500 to 25 outstanding students for its 2025-26 scholarship season.

The 16 scholarships offered support the next generation of designers by rewarding superior student performance, supporting access and diversity, supporting original research, and assisting students with unmet financial need. The awards are made possible through funds established by generous sponsors.

LAF congratulates all of our 2026 winners, who were selected through a competitive process by sponsor- and LAF-convened juries made up of leaders in landscape architecture practice, academia, and industry.

Our Scholarship Recipients page has bios for all of the winners.

 

Honor Awards / Scholarships for Master's Students

Headshot photo of Darius Bottorff

LAF Honor Scholarship in Memory of Joe Lalli, FASLA
Award: $20,000

Darius Bottorff
MLA Candidate, Harvard University 

 

Headshot photo of Amir Rafati

LAF Honor Scholarship in Memory of Joe Lalli, FASLA
First Runner-up Award: $10,000

Amir Rafati 
MLA Candidate, Harvard University 

 

Headshot photo of Shafaet Abir

LAF Honor Scholarship in Memory of Joe Lalli, FASLA
Second Runner-up Award: $5,000

Shafaet Alam Abir
MLA Candidate, Texas Tech University

 

Headshot photo of Aquilla Igwe

LAF Honor Scholarship for Inclusive Community Design
Award: $10,000

Aquilla Igwe
MLA Candidate, University of Michigan 

 

headshot photo of Shima Goodarzi

Kenneth R. Brooks MLA Research Scholarship
Award: $7,500

Shima Goodarzi
MLA Candidate, North Dakota State University

 

Headshot photo of Felix Hernandez

MIG Scholarship for the Planning and Design of Equitable and Inclusive Environments
Award: $5,000

Felix Hernandez
MLA Candidate, University of Maryland

 

Headshot photo of Aisha Iyendar

MIG Scholarship for the Planning and Design of Equitable and Inclusive Environments
Award: $5,000

Aisha Iyengar
MLA Candidate, Harvard University
 

Scholarships for undergraduates

Headshot photo of Isaiah Ramsey

ASLA Council of Fellows Scholarship
Award: $10,000 + travel to ASLA conference

Isaiah Ramsey
BLA Candidate, Michigan State University 

 

Headshot photo of Saudiyah Robinson

ASLA Council of Fellows Scholarship
Award: $5,000 + travel to ASLA conference

Saudiyah Robinson
BSLA Candidate, North Carolina A&T University 

 

Headshot photo of Gene Sinnung

ASLA Council of Fellows Scholarship
Award: $5,000 + travel to ASLA conference

Gene Sinnung
BSLA Candidate, Rutgers University 

 

Headshot photo of Hadasa Villalta

ASLA Council of Fellows Scholarship
Award: $5,000 + travel to ASLA conference

Hadasa Villalta
BLA Candidate, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 

 

Headhsot photo of Jesse Fagen

Courtland Paul Scholarship
Award: $5,000

Jesse Fagen
BSLA Candidate, Purdue University

 

Headshot photo of Annabella Piantanida

Courtland Paul Scholarship
Award: $5,000

Annabella Piantanida
BLA Candidate, Utah State University

 

Zuri Askew headshot

LandDesign Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Scholarship
Award: $5,000 + mentorship

Zuri Askew
BSLA Candidate, North Carolina A&T State University 

 

Headshot photo of David Taloma

LandDesign Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Scholarship
Award: $5,000 + mentorship

David Taloma
BLA Candidate, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

 

Zuri Askew headshot

Landscape Forms Shane Coen Scholarship for Diversity in Design Scholarship
Award: $5,000

Zuri Askew
BSLA Candidate, North Carolina A&T University

 

headshot of Josh Schneider

Landscape Forms Scholarship in Memory of Peter Schaudt, FASLA
Award: $5,000

Joshua Schneider
BLA Candidate, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

 

Headshot photo of McKenzie Garvin

Rain Bird Intelligent Use of Water™ Scholarship
Award: $5,000

McKenzie Garvin
BLA Candidate, University of Georgia

 

Scholarships for Grad or Undergrad Students

Headshot photo of Taryn Randle

Daniel Zwier/Permaloc Innovation Scholarship
Award: $5,000

Taryn Randle 
MLA Candidate, Illinois Institute of Technology

 

Headshot photo of Manal Dar

EDSA Diversity Scholarship
Award: $5,000

Manal Dar
MLA Candidate, Rhode Island School of Design 

 

headshot photo of Parker Smith

EDSA Diversity Scholarship
Award: $5,000

Parker Smith
BSLA Candidate, North Carolina A&T State University

 

Headshot of Ava Antoine

Steven G. King Play Environments Scholarship 
Award: $5,000

Ava Antoine
BLA Candidate, University of Wisconsin

 

LOCATION-SPECIFIC SCHOLARSHIPS

headshot photo for Brandi Baligad

Hawaii Chapter ASLA/David T. Woolsey Scholarship
Award: $3,000

Brandi Baligad
MLA Candidate, University of Hawaii at Manoa 

 

headshot photo for Dylan Tawata

Hawaii Chapter ASLA/David T. Woolsey Scholarship
Award: $3,000

Dylan Tawata
BLA Candidate, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

 

Project Support

Kailey Kruse headshot

Douglas Dockery Thomas Fellowship in Garden History and Design 
Award: $5,000

Kailey Kruse
MLA Candidate, Arizona State University

 

Lydia Oliver headshot

Douglas Dockery Thomas Fellowship in Garden History and Design 
Award: $5,000

Lydia Olivier
PhD Candidate, University of California, Riverside

 

LAF is grateful to the many individuals and organizations that provide financial support towards fulfilling our mission to support the preservation, improvement, and enhancement of the environment.

Much of what LAF is able to accomplish would not be possible without the thought leadership and financial investment of our major supporters, including ASLA, which provides over $125,000 of in-kind support annually.

Supporters