ASLA Hawaii Chapter | Annual Graduating Student Honor & Merit Award Program

In recognition of Hawaii’s first graduating class from a landscape architecture program here in our state, the Hawaii Chapter has adopted ASLA’s National Student Academic Honor and Merit Awards program. The program is designed to be a collaborative effort between ASLA Hawaii and UH Manoa School of Architecture Master of Landscape Architecture Program. The Awards recognize academic achievement, design competence, and communication skills.

On May 13th, seven graduating candidates presented their capstone projects in a virtual Zoom meeting that was open to the public, including a panel of three ASLA jury members. The jury panel members were ASLA Hi President Nancy Cassandro, Vice President of Umemoto Cassandro Design Corp.; Robyn Sweesy, ASLA Hi Past President and current ASLA Hi Vice President, and a Senior Associate with Helber Hastert and Fee, Planners; and Micheal Garris, Vice President and Director of Landscape Architecture with Belt Collins Hawaii. Mahalo for your time and expertise to participate in this inaugural event!

The Awards were presented during the SOA Virtual Zoom Graduation on May 14th. In addition to the certificates the recipients were awarded a monetary gift of $500 for the Honor Award and $250 for the Merit Award. Each recipient was also offered a one year free membership to the ASLA Hawaii Chapter.

Congratulations to Honor Award winner Matthew Mitsuaki Higa, and Merit Award winner Jonathan Kekaimalu Stanich!

Congratulations to the University of Hawaii, SOA MLA Class of 2021!