A group of five students from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville traveled last month to Fort Collins, Colorado, to take part in the 49th National Collegiate Landscape Competition, hosted by Colorado State University. The event, organized by the National Association of Landscape Professionals and sponsored by STIHL, brought together students from across the country to compete in hands-on landscape and horticulture events.
Representing UW-Platteville were Max Jacobs, agribusiness major and environmental horticulture minor; Luis Avila Vette, soils and crop science major and environmental horticulture minor; Amy Luginbuhl, majoring in environmental horticulture; Maggie Foster, environmental restoration and resource management major with an environmental horticulture minor and Martha Guelker, pursuing an environmental horticulture major with an emphasis in greenhouse and garden center management/business administration minor. They were accompanied by Dr. Michael Compton, professor of environmental horticulture at UW-Platteville.
The students competed in a variety of events that challenged their knowledge and practical skills. Foster participated in Annual and Perennial Identification, Guelker in Interior Plant Identification and Luginbuhl in Woody Ornamental Plant Identification. The Landscape Plant Installation event featured a team effort by Avila Vette, Foster and Jacobs. A full list and descriptions of the competition's 30 events can be found here.
Their journey to the competition, however, was far from ordinary. The group encountered severe blizzard conditions near Omaha, Nebraska, forcing them to seek shelter in Fremont. With most of the town without power, the group opted to stay in a hotel without electricity—the safest and most viable option given the closure of more than 300 miles of Interstate 80 and impassable local roads.
The following day, the interstate remained closed. The group found an alternate route that added more than two hours to their trip. Despite the delays, they safely arrived in Fort Collins a day later than planned, just in time to participate in their scheduled events.
Thanks to the support of Jenn Myers, executive director of the National Association of Landscape Professionals Foundation, the students were able to access all necessary materials and resources in time for the competition. During the closing ceremony, David Grover, chair of the NCLC, recognized the group’s perseverance and determination, noting that their story served as a source of inspiration and optimism for all in attendance.
This memorable experience not only tested the students’ academic and practical skills but also highlighted their resilience and commitment—qualities that will serve them well in their future careers.