On January 29^th the Master of Landscape Architecture students participated in the Daniels Faculty’s Student-Professionals Networking Event, hosted in collaboration with the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects (OALA), represented by president Jane Welsh (MSc, Planning 2000) and former president Doris Chee (BLA 1984).

This annual event provides students with the opportunity to meet with landscape architecture professionals, ask questions about their practice, and gain knowledge of their prospective career paths. Since its inception a few years ago, this event has helped to usher our students into the world of professional networking, providing a crucial link between the academic and working worlds.

MLA students from all years were encouraged to attend, and the event provides value for people at all levels of their development. Elf Ozcelik, a 1^st year MLA student, praised the event for allowing a perceptive shift. "Before coming here, my understanding of professionals was that they're unapproachable, but with this networking event, I understood that they are interested in us as students at U of T,” Ozcelik explains. “They were very approachable, and this really helped break that anxiety of post grad and some internship worries.”

Lousia Kennet, another 1^st year MLA student, says the event opened her eyes to the breadth of the field. "What this event made me realize was how diverse the field of Landscape Architecture is, and how there is something for everyone,” says Kennet.

“The success of this event is due to the meaningful contributions of our alumni community and participating firms.The Daniels Faculty would like to thank all the professionals who generously donated their time to meet and share advice with our students:

Elyse Parker - City of Toronto

Jane Welsh - City of Toronto Environmental Planning

Kiran Chhiba - Dillon Consulting Limited

Bryce Miranda - DTAH

Aina Elias - Elias +

Angela Chieh - Forrec Ltd.

Gordon Dorrett - Forrec Ltd.

Louis Vicic - Forrec Ltd.

David Leonardo - Garcia HOK

Doris Chee - Hydro One Networks Inc.

Darlene Broderick - IBI Group

Neno Kovacevic - IBI Group

Nicholas Gosselin - Janet Rosenberg & Studio Inc

Todd Smith - IBI Group

Caroline Cosco - Ontario Ministry of the Environment

René Fan - PLANT Architect Inc.

Marc Ryan - Public Work

Mark Schollen - Schollen & Co

Jim Vafiades - Stantec

Samar Zarifa - Terraplan Landscape Architects

Zhuofan Wan - Terraplan Landscape Architects

Jana Joyce - The MBTW Group

Michelle Lu - The MBTW Group

Tonya Crawford - The Planning Partnership

Sheila Boudreau - Toronto Region and Conservation Authority

Viive Kittask - Vertechs Design Inc.

Matt Perotto - Hargreaves Associates

Lesley MacAulay - Lesley B. MacAulay Landscape Design + Planning