Dear ASLA Student Body,

Jose M. Alvarez, Student ASLA

I am both grateful and excited about being your 2012 – 2013 ASLA National Student Representative. It is truly an honor to serve as your liaison and facilitator and to be able to represent you as we shape the future of our exciting discipline.
First, I would like to give you some background about myself. I am originally from Bogota, Colombia, and I moved to the U.S. during my high school years. My first degree was a Bachelor’s in Finance and International Business and I am currently pursuing a Master’s in Landscape Architecture at Florida International University in Miami. When I first began my graduate career in landscape architecture, I had little idea as to the breadth and depth of a field that has clearly become critical in facing the challenges to the built and natural environments of the 21st century

That is why my goal for the upcoming year is to help us answer one simple question…WHAT IS LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE to our generation, and more importantly, WHAT CAN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE BE? Frequently, I find myself explaining that what I am studying is far more than garden design and much more essential to the future of our cities and our environments than people imagine. I have participated in several museum exhibitions, art fairs, meetings with high school students and counselors, and other events to raise awareness about our field. I can honestly say that every single person I have spoken to has consistently been impressed by the scope of Landscape Architecture, which is why I believe that as students, we should reach out to our local communities and demonstrate the knowledge and expertise that we can provide. By doing this, we are securing our value as professionals for many years to come.

I am confident that my experiences as Vice-President of our ASLA Student Chapter, the FIU LABASH 2012 Planning Committee Leader, Business Manager in a local landscape business, Youth Group Leader, and dedicated student will be an invaluable asset to accomplishing my goals and aspirations for this position. As Student Representative to the ASLA Board of Trustees, I will coordinate efforts between student chapters and implement a unified outreach effort to schools and institutions. I will help create the platform and content needed to create effective community outreach programs. Furthermore, I will facilitate communication between student and professional chapters with the goal of increasing internships, joint community outreach, emerging professional employment, and mentorship.
I trust that together we can be great advocates and representatives of the profession that we are so passionate about. Please know that I am here to voice your opinions and concerns, so you have an open invitation to contact me whenever you would like. Once again, thank you for the opportunity lets have a great year!

Sincerely,

Jose M. Alvarez
Jalva011@gmail.com