USU’s Future Landscape Leaders Compete on National Stage

A team of students from Utah State University’s Department of Plants, Soils and Climate (PSC) recently competed at the premier event for aspiring landscape professionals, showing off their skills in landscape design, plant identification, equipment operation, and more.

The National Collegiate Landscape Competition brought together 54 universities and over 700 student competitors from across the nation, providing valuable hands-on experience, networking opportunities with future colleagues, and direct connections to industry professionals.

“Competitions like this are fantastic for our students,” said Professor Paul Johnson, head of USU’s PSC Department. “It allows them to become more confident in applying what they learn in the classroom in a unique and fun way. Most importantly, I feel is the community that develops among the team members along with those from other universities and industry around the country.”

This year marked USU’s return to the competition after more than a decade away and team members in USU’s residential landscape design and construction program delivered strong performances across multiple events. Karlie Callahan Roberts placed in the top 10 in Exterior Landscape Design and Mason Apke earned a top-10 finish in Compact Excavator Operation.

USU students also competed in several other events, including Landscape Plant Installation (Apke, Nic Decker, and Hannah Sheffield), Sales Presentation (Sheffield), Annual & Perennial Identification (Emma Steed), and Woody Ornamental Plant Identification (Roberts).

“This is the start of a new tradition of attending and competing at the national level in the landscape industry,” said Pamela George, professional practice assistant professor in the PSC department.

Learn more about USU’s PSC department at psc.usu.edu and explore hands-on learning opportunities across the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences.