Landscape-focused Emerging Architects & Professionals (LEAP)
Who We Are:
LEAP is a community for students and emerging professionals who are excited about Landscape Architecture and related fields – and who want to grow, connect, and have fun while doing it. Whether you’re just starting out or finding your footing in the profession, LEAP is all about building friendships, sharing resources, and opening doors to new opportunities.
Through hands-on experiences, professional connections, and skill-building education, LEAP empowers members to explore the landscape architecture world with confidence. We’re big believers in learning by doing – so yes, we also love getting outside and exploring great landscapes together.
LEAP is proudly organized and supported by the Pennsylvania-Delaware Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (PA-DE ASLA), giving members a direct connection to the larger professional community.
What We’re About:
- Building community: Creating chances to meet, connect, and hang out with fellow students and young professionals across landscape architecture and the broader built environment world.
- Learning beyond the classroom: Offering hands on, career boosting experiences made just for students and emerging professionals, like:
- LARE prep sessions and study groups
- Behind the scenes design studio visits
- Construction and site tours
- Portfolio reviews with real world professionals
- Showing the value of ASLA: Helping members discover the tools and services that ASLA offers to support you at every stage – from your first year of school through licensure and beyond
- Growing the community: Expanding and energizing ASLA’s student and young professional membership so more voices, ideas, and opportunities are represented at the table.
How We LEAP:
- Get out of the classroom and office: Take field trips to designed landscapes and active construction sites, with behind the scenes insights from the professionals who brought the projects to life.
- Prepare for the LARE: Join our monthly study group, borrow study materials, and ask questions about test-taking techniques from those who have been in your seat.
- Level up at the PA DE ASLA Conference: Join LEAP-only events made just for students and emerging professionals, like:
- LEAP Game Night – relax, laugh, and make new connections
- LEAP Design Charrette – team up and get creative
- LEAP Dinner – good food, great conversation
- Exclusive LEAP Landscape Tour – go places most attendees don’t
- Give back while having fun: Host and participate in fundraisers that support LEAP programs and make a positive impact on local communities and ecosystems.
- Mix it up: Collaborate on joint events with architects, engineers, planners, developers, and other built environment professionals.
- Make it yours: Any LEAP member can dream up and lead their own activity – find your people and create the experience you’ve always wanted to be part of.
Who Can Join LEAP?
- Students: Any PA- or DE-based college or university student interested in Landscape Architecture (major doesn’t matter!) – just register as an ASLA student member (and yes, it’s FREE).
- Recent grads: PA- or DE-based graduates of an accredited Landscape Architecture program who are Associate or International Associate ASLA members.
- Emerging professionals: PA- or DE-based unlicensed professionals in Landscape Architecture and related fields with less than 20 years of experience who are Full or Affiliate ASLA members. This includes anyone whose job involves landscapes, such as developers, engineers, urbanists, ecologists, and product vendors!
- Licensed professionals: PA- or DE-based Landscape Architects with fewer than 15 years of licensure who are ASLA members.
- Allied young professionals: PA- or DE-based members of allied professions (architects, urban planners, civil engineers, ecological restoration professionals, interior designers, etc.)