What was your favorite class? What did you like about it?
It’s hard to choose just one, but three classes stand out: Ecological Design with Chad Manley, the Regional Appalachia Studio with Faye Nixon, and Histories and Theories with Emily Gordon.
In Ecological Design, I was challenged to think across scales, designing systems from the broad ecological level down to the intimate interactions between species. It encouraged me to approach design creatively and to consider how living systems shape and support one another.
The Regional Appalachia Studio deepened my connection to the beauty and complexity of the Appalachian Mountains. Our studio trip exposed me to diverse and often overlooked stories of the region. I valued the community engagement component of the studio, which showed me how grounding design in local context and culture is essential to meaningful, lasting work.
Histories and Theories introduced me to the long, complex history of human impact on landscapes. This class helped me understand how past decisions still shape the world we inhabit today, both the inspiring moments and the difficult legacies of displacement, inequity, and political missteps. I believe grappling with this history is vital to moving the field forward with honesty and care.
Do you have a professor who has really inspired or challenged you? What did you learn from them?
Faye Nixon has been an incredible source of inspiration during my time at UTK. Beyond her impressive design and software skills, she has encouraged me to explore how my own interests can shape my work in landscape architecture. Through her guidance, I’ve discovered the depth of research and opportunity within this field. Her passion for landscape architecture is truly contagious, and her support has been pivotal in my growth as a designer.
What was your undergraduate degree and how did it influence your decision to pursue a MLA?
I earned my undergraduate degree in Geology with a minor in Plant Sciences – Sustainable Landscape Design at UTK. It was during this time that I first discovered the field of landscape architecture. The opportunity to blend design, the natural sciences, and community engagement was deeply appealing to me and ultimately inspired my decision to pursue an MLA.
What is one of your favorite aspects of the school or the MLA degree track?
One of my favorite aspects of the MLA program at UTK is the diverse group of professors who each bring their own perspectives, expertise, and experiences to the school. The program also emphasizes a systems-thinking approach to large-scale challenges, which pushes us to think critically and deeply about the issues we study and design for.
Are you a part of any student groups or organizations?
I’ve been a member of the student chapter of ASLA here at UTK, serving as treasurer during my second year and as president this year.
Did you have an internship or externship experience? What did you learn from it?
I’ve had the opportunity to complete an internship, an externship, and a fellowship during my time in the MLA program.
My internship was with Equinox in Asheville, North Carolina, which I connected with through a design charette. It was my first experience working in a landscape architecture firm, and the team there were incredible mentors. I learned a great deal about construction details, grading, and how design ideas translate into built work.
I then completed an externship with Site Design Group in Chicago, Illinois. Though shorter, this experience allowed me to work with each sector of the firm and explore different areas of practice, helping me refine my own interests. It also gave me a glimpse of what it’s like to live and work in Chicago beyond just visiting as a tourist.
Most recently, I completed a fellowship with the Garden Club of Virginia, mentored by the cultural landscapes team at Nelson Byrd Woltz. This experience focused on cultural and historical landscapes, and I had the opportunity to research and publish a report on the historic landscape typology of falling gardens in the Chesapeake region. It strengthened both my research and design skills and introduced me to an entirely new facet of the field. I also met so many inspiring people through this fellowship. I truly don’t think I would have pursued it without the spark that came from Emily Gordon’s Histories and Theories class, which first opened my eyes to the stories embedded in historic landscapes.