Emma Cox

BLA

When choosing a college major, Emma Cox, from Covington, Louisiana, wasn’t too familiar with the field of landscape architecture.

“I honestly did not know too much about landscape architecture,” she said. “It can be very tough to ask a 17-year-old to decide what to study for the next four-five years.”

“I feel so lucky to have chosen landscape architecture. As I started learning more about the major it just felt like the perfect blend of art and horticulture, two things that I already enjoy in my daily life. So, it has become something for me where I am constantly doing things and projects that bring me joy and fulfillment!”

LSU was “always on my mind for where I might want to go for college, but I only realized after coming here what amazing scholarships and opportunities it has to offer,” she said. “Especially the school of landscape architecture is always trying their best to give students the best support system they can in school and then moving into their professional lives.”

Emma is an artist as well as a designer. “I find that my interests change all of the time, but always seem to circle back to some type of art. I enjoy watercolor painting and I like to weave it into my projects for school whenever I can, but I have also been making a point to find time to do it just for fun!”

She also has a green thumb: “I also really love to garden and take care of plants (although sometimes this is a curse as I buy many plants and have no room or money for them),” she said. “Even if it is just on my balcony garden or indoor plants, I just love bringing green into every space! It always makes your home feel brighter and more relaxing. I cannot wait until I get to a point in my life where I can have a backyard and fill it will plants!”

Some of her favorite memories from the past few years at the LSU Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture (RRSLA) revolve around field trips.

“Starting in your third year, there is a week-long fall travel where you, your studio mates, and your professor delve into a city through a landscape architecture lens. We are exposed to so many incredible sights and experiences in places like Boston and New York!” she said.

“But you also just get to spend so much fun quality time with your friends in a new city. Looking back, these trips were so much fun and stand out as some of my favorite memories with the people in my studio class.”

“I truly believe that travel is one of the most important things we do in this major as it creates a desire for students to explore diverse environments, landscapes, and cultures.”

Her favorite field trip that she has been on during her time at RRSLA so far was the spring break field trip to Paris, Berlin, and Hamburg. “That was one of the most amazing things I had the opportunity to experience, and I am incredibly grateful for it! All the different landscapes that we got to see and just being able to spend that time with my classmates was just an unforgettable experience.”

Emma has also been able to take part in RRSLA’s internship program: this semester Emma is interning at Design Workshop in Houston. “It has been the best experience! In just the couple months I have lived and worked here I have learned so much about the profession that you just have to start working to know. Design Workshop has helped me so much to improve my technical skill in different programs and they have just been lovely people to work with. Everyone one in the office is very kind and always willing to answer any questions that you might have. They are very focused on helping you grow as a designer and now I am very excited to come back for my last year with the new things that I have learned.”

Design Workshop manages a variety of design projects that Emma was able to learn from during her internship. “Some of my favorites have been larger scale projects where I get to hand draw and do a lot of conceptual work. I have also really loved working on small scale planting design projects because enjoy the horticultural aspect and detail. Also, unexpectedly I have been doing quite a bit of writing which I am finding out that I also enjoy that! They really take into consideration your interests and try to get you involved with projects that they know you will enjoy and learn the most from.”

Post graduation, she would like to travel and “explore different types of landscapes and cultures to learn and grow as in my career as much as possible!”

Learn more about the Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture.