Landscape Architecture Newsletter
The Department of Landscape Architecture at the University of Illinois is thriving six weeks into the new academic year, with undergraduate enrollment up 25% and a strong new class of MLA and Ph.D. students. Thanks to alumni generosity, all course fees have been eliminated, and students receive free tool kits and fully funded field trips, including recent visits to Barcelona, Chicago, and Dickson Mounds, with future travel planned to Córdoba, Spain.
This fall also welcomes Dr. Yvonne Gu (MLA ’16, Ph.D. ’20) as a new Teaching Assistant Professor and Bridgette Moen (MLA ’14) as the new University Landscape Architect. Faculty and staff began the semester with a retreat at Bluestem Hall Nature School, highlighting Illinois prairie restoration and nature-based education.
Alumni achievements include Dr. Chuo Li’s new book American Chinatowns: Race, Identity, and Postwar Urban Redevelopment (Routledge, 2025). Looking ahead, the department will send 20 students to the ASLA 2025 Conference in New Orleans, where Brad McCauley (BLA ’07) will be installed as ASLA President.
Finally, the department is preparing for LAAB re-accreditation in March 2026 and invites alumni to complete a short survey by November 2, 2025, to share feedback on their Illinois experience.