In the Media

The Landscape Architecture Foundation (LAF) has announced the newest cohort of LAF Ignite, its scholarship-internship-mentorship program for BIPOC students.

Six landscape architecture students, including Aquilla Igwe, a Landscape Architecture student at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS), have been selected for the fifth cohort of LAF Ignite. This multi-year program provides participants with an annual $10,000 scholarship, paid summer internships and various forms of mentorship. Each year, four to seven students are selected to join the program, and participation is ongoing until they have completed their landscape architecture degree.

Igwe holds a BS in Environmental Science from Chatham University and is currently pursuing a Master of Landscape Architecture degree at SEAS. Her work centers on advancing environmental justice and inclusive design. Her interests include education, ecological design and using landscapes as a tool to empower and mobilize marginalized communities. As someone who grew up witnessing disparities in green spaces and who has worked with communities passionate about environmental repair, she recognizes that landscape design is a tool for both resistance and recovery.