The Win-Win of Supporting College Networking Events

Is your company taking advantage of career-focused networking events hosted by your local colleges?

Not only do these events provide additional recruiting channels, but it is also a time for landscape professionals to invest in students and enhance the future of the profession.

“Companies can better support our department and departments like us around the country by being engaged,” says Chris Tragakes, landscape design and contracting program coordinator for the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Colorado State University, based in Fort Collins, Colorado. “Engage with students at all levels, even if they are not ready for an internship or post-graduation job; this can look many different ways, from field trips to visiting real projects, time in the office and around employees, and sometimes it is as simple as bringing pizza to the student club and getting to know the students.”

Below are just two examples of how universities are fostering opportunities for landscape professionals to connect with the next generation.

CSU’s Horticulture and Landscape Architecture Career Mixer 

Colorado State University’s has been hosting their career mixer for years and it has evolved over time as well. This year, they had over 45 companies and between 150-175 students attended the event on Feb. 5.

“Each year, the diversity of companies grows to include both a local and national presence,” says Scott Curry, an assistant professor at CSU. “We have also grown beyond the traditional design-build companies as our only attendees, to now include management, golf courses, arborists, and greenhouses.”  

Curry says that the students use this event as an initial contact with companies before attending the National Collegiate Landscape Competition (NCLC) so they are better equipped to network and further their professional relationships.

“Building a professional network can be intimidating for students, so hosting industry within the spaces that students spend every day creates a more welcoming environment,” Tragakes says. “Some companies still set up a booth as in a traditional career fair, as a landing point for students, but often the conversations continue into the lounge area where appetizers and beverages are offered.”

Nate Fetig, general manager and vice president of Alpine Gardens, based in Fort Collins, Colorado, says they have participated in the CSU HLA mixer every year since its inception. Every year, they find at least a couple new students who become interns and several of those interns have converted into full-time employees after graduation.

“It is important for us to support events like this for a couple main reasons,” Fetig says. “Firstly, the students coming out of this department are the future leaders of our industry (and our company), so we always want the opportunity to interact with the students. Secondly, professionalism is a core value of our organization and programs like that at CSU are doing some of the best work in terms of building the level of professionalism in our industry. We want to see the program succeed and continue to grow in order to elevate the status of the entire industry.”

Fetig recommends other companies looking to get involved in events like this send someone to represent their company who is excited and able to talk about their business and the industry as a whole.

“We try to be extremely open and honest about what our company is and what it isn’t – what services to we focus on, what are our core values, what does it take to be successful in our company,” Fetig says. “Just as in the population as a whole, not every student is a great fit for our business, and that’s okay!”  

BYU’s Ladies in Landscaping

Out in Provo, Utah, Brigham Young University hosted their 10^th annual Ladies in Landscaping event on Feb. 7-8.

This event started as the number of women in their program increased. Female students approached their professors about hosting an event where they could share their experiences with upcoming students who had career goals for the landscape industry.

“I think it is important because it allows those up-and-coming students to see that people like them are finding success and long-lasting, meaningful careers in the landscape industry,” says Greg Jolley, professor of landscape management at BYU. “All networking activities are important for students but this event allows women to have conversations that are focused on their development within the industry.”

Savannah Keller, a junior majoring in plant and landscape systems and minoring in business at BYU who helped plan this year’s event, says that diversity is important to building strong teams.

“With diversity comes unique needs,” Keller says. “Gender diversity is no different; men and women are different. Each person is different and these differences should be acknowledged and celebrated. The ability to come together as women and talk about gender-specific issues builds confidence, provides mentoring and fosters relationships.”  

Fellow student Abby Moore, a junior majoring in plant and landscape systems, also helped execute the event. She says Ladies in Landscaping is important because it helps women feel supported and builds their confidence and connections.

The original event drew about 30 students and a handful of industry representatives. This year’s event had 90 women in attendance, with 60 students and 30 individuals from the industry.

2025’s Ladies in Landscaping also expanded from a single night where a meal is shared and guest speakers share their experience within the industry to a two-day event. Keller and Moore wanted to include a service project to benefit the community and strengthen networking opportunities.

Moore says the service project provided time for the students and professionals to work on a fun craft while still learning more about the different companies. The service project consisted of creating tie-quilts that were donated to a local women’s shelter.

“The motto for BYU is ‘Enter to Learn; Go forth to Serve,’” Keller says. “Service is a huge part of our school’s culture and the culture of our program. As Abby and I discussed the event, we wanted to have a less formal space where students could build relationships with professionals in a natural way. We decided a service project would be the perfect opportunity to have fun together and to do good for the world.”

The speakers for this year’s event included Heather Hartsell, landscape designer and BYU alumna, and Brigitte Orrick, NALP’s 2024 Woman Leader of the Year.

Moore says that Harsell talked to students about the transition from college to being a professional in the green industry.

“She spoke beautifully about the fear and inadequacy that she felt, but through trying new things and trusting her mentors, she found her place and continued to learn new things as she went out of her comfort zone,” Moore says.

Meanwhile, keynote speaker Orrick discussed specific societal pressures on women and the need to forge your own path.

“She talked about how women are expected to ‘do it all,’ and that as women, we can do it all and have it all, just not in every season of our lives,” Keller says. “We have to learn to prioritize and balance so that we can fully show up at work and at home without sacrificing our own physical or mental health.”  

Jolley says events like these allow students to see how successful women have been in the industry.

“It gives them the confidence that they can make contributions to any landscape company,” Jolley says. “It helps them to set realistic goals based off of conversations they have with industry reps. For younger students just beginning the major, it allows them to see their future opportunities.”

Keller adds that networking events like this enable students to meet professionals, get advice, build relationships and start imagining what their personal futures may be. 

“I know that for me, being able to actually see the support from so many companies around the nation helps me to feel so confident in my career path,” Moore says. “It took me a long time to figure out what I wanted to study in college, and I was worried that whatever I ended up on wouldn’t offer me very many optimistic opportunities for work after receiving my degree. Now, I see how lucky I am to be a part of a major that is not just supported by my school and by local companies, but nationwide I have a support system.”

Phil Allen, professor of landscape management at Brigham Young University, says companies that are intentional about attending this event have very good success.

“Students have low-pressure discussions that help them find internships and full-time positions,” Allen says. “Companies recruit great employees. It is a win-win.”