How we became the First Student Affiliate Chapter
In March 2008, Cuyamaca College, in conjunction with the San Diego Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA,) established the first Student Affiliate Chapter in the United States.

Student chapters have long been the province of four-year institutions with accredited Landscape Architecture Programs. During 2007, with the assistance of the Cuyamaca College Landscape Design Instructors, Kathryn Fulhorst, Nick DeLorenzo and Steve Copley, student John Herr spearheaded a campaign to change the ASLA National Bylaws to allow Student Affiliate Chapters.

The local ASLA Chapter with Chapter President, Chris Gustard, supported the effort and moved the agenda forward at the national level. This allowed Cuyamaca College students to form the first-in-the-nation Student Affiliate Chapter.

From the CSAC ASLA President
By Michael Watts, Cuyamaca ASLA Student Affiliate President

Exciting! That is the word to describe the involvement of Cuyamaca's ASLA Student Affiliate Chapter in the upcoming ASLA National Convention to be held here in San Diego Oct. 29-Nov. 2, 2011.

We were chosen with USC, UCLA, Cal-Poly Pomona, Cal-Poly SLO, and Newschool of Architecture to be the student support of the conference programs, seminars, and networking events!

Students from these landscape architecture and horticultural programs have signed up as greeters, booth assistants, program facilitators, and to assist with the awards and ceremonies programs.

National is estimating that between 7,000 and 8,000 landscape architects and their affiliates will be attending this year's convention along with 600+ exhibitors and vendors. It promises to be a fabulous venue for education, networking, socializing, and cutting-edge technology.

Cuyamaca's Student Affiliate Chapter is also working with ASLA National and our sponsoring local ASLA-San Diego Chapter to make student involvement more open, available, and exciting. Student Chapter participation is FREE!

If one should decide they also want to be a student member of ASLA National, it costs a mere $50. And the benefits far outweigh the costs.

To learn more about our chapter, our school, and the local ASLA San Diego Chapter, go to Cuyamaca's Horticultural Department web page, http://www.cuyamaca.edu/ohweb/, and follow the links to all of the information. Come join us!

Join the Student Affiliate Chapter of ASLA Today
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Important Links
Cuyamaca College Ornamental Horticulture Department
Internship Program