LA Department Scholarships

The Landscape Architecture Department offers scholarships to landscape architecture majors. These scholarships recognize need, promise, and achievement in a broad range of activities related to landscape architecture. The following scholarships may be awarded based on the evaluation of student applications:

Chapman Forestry Foundation Italy Travel Scholarship

The Chapman Forestry Foundation Italy Travel Scholarship is an annual scholarship that will fund up to ten $1000 scholarships for eligible applicants who participate in the Cal Poly Pomona Landscape Architecture program in Castiglion,  Fiorentino. The Chapman Forestry Foundation was established in 1977 by A. Dale Chapman with a primary goal of the advancement of environmental education, urban forestry principles and community beautification through the planting of tress. Providing travel scholarships to Italy exposes Landscape Architecture students to a variety of design principles related to urban and garden design in historic and cultural landscape settings.  Eligibility criteria are:

• Landscape Architecture major
• GPA: minimum 2.75
• Must participate in the Cal Poly, Pomona Department of Landscape Architecture Fall Italy study abroad program in Castiglion, Fiorentino
• Applicants must submit a one-page application letter stating how this program will impact their education and professional career in Landscape Architecture

Courtland Studio CREATE Scholarship

The Courtland Studio Scholarship supports a fourth-year Cal Poly student majoring in Landscape Architecture. Students must have a minimum 2.5 GPA, with preference given to students with high financial need. The student should demonstrate leadership in the Landscape Architecture Department, and preferably have completed a class in Irrigation Design. 

Douglas Baylis, FASLA Memorial Scholarship

The Douglas Baylis, FASLA, College of Architecture and Environmental Design Memorial Scholarship was established in 1998 by the Maggie Baylis Revocable Living Trust in memory of her husband, Douglas Baylis. Mr. Baylis was a well-recognized landscape architect in California and the country and received an ASLA "Fellowship" award. Landscape Architecture majors at any class level are eligible to apply, as long as the individual will be a student during the following academic year. A minimum 3.0 GPA is required.

Gary Dwyer Memorial Scholarship

The Gary Dwyer Memorial Scholarship was established by generous donation from Dr. Odile Ayral and first awarded in the 2022-23 academic year. This scholarship assists Landscape Architecture juniors, seniors, and fifth-year students who demonstrate a strong interest in design.

Gary Dwyer joined the Cal Poly Landscape Architecture Department in 1973 and taught there for 35 years. He had a double degree in Fine Arts and Landscape Architecture from Syracuse University, and an MFA in sculpture from the University of Denver. A gifted artist and a passionate world traveler, he received numerous commissions to create sculptures and fountains in steel or stone... won various competitions for landscape architecture projects... and photographed landscapes and monuments for UNESCO, World Monument Funds, Monet's garden in Giverny, etc.

But it was in his teaching that his remarkable qualities and his love of life truly shone. As one former student beautifully wrote: "He was smart, inspiring, creative, immensely capable, elegantly articulate and much of the time covered in sawdust." Like Pericles whom he sometimes quoted, Gary Dwyer believed that "what you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others." This scholarship is part of his legacy to students in Landscape Architecture. 

HLA Group/Robert Hablitzel Scholarship

The HLA Group established an endowment to honor its founding principal, Robert D. Hablitzel, who graduated from Cal Poly/San Luis Obispo in 1972. The gift commemorates the 2003 retirement of Mr. Hablitzel from the firm he founded in 1980. The endowment funds scholarships to help students pursue a fourth or fifth year of landscape architecture study.

Students currently in their third or fourth year of study are eligible for consideration. A minimum 3.2 Cal Poly cumulative GPA for major courses is required, with preference given to the candidate with the highest Cal Poly cumulative GPA for major courses. Where multiple candidates have the same high Cal Poly cumulative GPA for major courses, preference is given to the candidate who is most involved with volunteer activities within the community. 

Ian Casey Memorial Travel Scholarship

The Ian Casey Memorial Travel Scholarship supports a Landscape Architecture students with demonstrated financial need participating in one of Cal Poly's many travel abroad program opportunities.  The intent of the scholarship is to assist a student who loves traveling and would otherwise be unable to do so.  The scholarship honors the life of Ian Casey, who graduated in 2011 with a degree in Landscape Architecture, and to continue his legacy of generosity, hard work and love of life. LA students in all class levels are available to apply. Applicants must meet the financial need criteria and student must be accepted to a study abroad program.

Kennedy Love Memorial Scholarship

The Kennedy Love scholarship supports continuing Cal Poly students majoring in Landscape Architecture and City and Regional Planning.  Students must show financial need and be graduates of a CA high school or a veteran of the armed forces from any state with a preference for first-generation college students.  Selected students must have demonstrated volunteerism, collaboration and advancement of the design profession consistent with Cal Poly's "Learn by Doing"  This scholarship was set up to honor the life of Kennedy Love, a Landscape Architecture student tragically killed while bicycling near campus.  His volunteerism and involvement with his major is reflected in the requirements of the scholarship. Class levels, Sophomore, Junior or Senior may apply.

Landscape Architecture Department Advisory Council 

These scholarships are awarded to students who best exemplify skills that the LADAC considers important for future leaders in the profession:

• Rising second-year students should be selected based on pursing potential, whether or not they have achieved it.  The focus is on what they have done to persistently gain knowledge and skills and most importantly, their attitude towards learning and reaching that potential.
• Rising third-year students should have obtained a level of skill based on talent, attitude and hard work.  Skills in hand sketching, computer graphics, technology, research, presentation, planning or writing can all by considered.
• Rising fourth-year students should show leadership in promoting the profession or the LARC department through involvement in organizations, volunteer groups, other disciplines or the profession.
• Rising fifth-year students should show leadership through involvement in organizations, volunteer groups or other disciplines and have obtained a high level of skill based on talent, attitude and hard work.