As part of the 2025 DCP Industry Expo, the Design & Planning Career Day provided an invaluable platform for students across the landscape architecture department to connect with industry leaders and gain real-world insights into their chosen professions. Held at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center, the event brought together design and planning firms for a day of networking, learning, and career advancement.
For landscape architecture students, the event was an especially rich opportunity to engage with professionals shaping the future of our built and natural environments. Students across all class cohorts were excited about the opportunity to learn about summer internships or early career positions, network, and get feedback on their design portfolios.
Ifit Miah, an undergraduate now in his final semester, noted that he makes a point to visit the career fair every year.
“I attend every year and each year the fair is a great way to make connections with people in the industry and ask the direct questions regarding the firms’ work environment.” As the event concluded, he commented, “The fair overall was well-organized, making it easy to engage with professionals in a meaningful way. I was able to shake hands and ask questions with many firms.”
Over the course of the day-long event, students were able to meet with firms specializing in a wide range of practice areas including residential design, urban design, campus planning, commercial/mixed use redevelopment, transportation infrastructure, geospatial analysis, and more.
“I really enjoy the career fair because professionals from all over the state are in one place, and the conversations we can have with each other are always really encouraging,”shared Lily Crawford, President of the Student Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects(SCASLA). She noted her appreciation for the diversity of firms and projects represented, “I really like seeing the different types of projects that the firms are working on, and the collaboration between multiple disciplines.”
Many students received on-the-spot feedback on their portfolios, helping them to refine how they present their design thinking and technical expertise to future employers.
“It was great talking to a bunch of different people at the career fair about my capstone project, and bouncing ideas off of them,” noted Nicholas Motl, a senior undergraduate student. “Getting feedback from people who are more experienced in the field provides me with a lot of useful knowledge and that was great. I liked it a lot.”
For many students, the event was an opportunity to explore summer internships or full-time positions with top firms. Many companies that attended actively recruited for landscape architecture positions and shared details about their project portfolios, work culture, and expectations for emerging designers. Several students walked away with individual interviews scheduled and new professional contacts that will shape their career trajectories.
For instance, Ifit Miah shared that he attended the career fair with specific firms in mind to connect with.
“The event provided a great opportunity to speak with Bohler about the firm’s work and potential career paths. It was insightful to hear about their approach to design and planning, and I appreciated the chance to make a direct connection.”
As the design and planning professions continue to evolve, events like the DCP Industry Expo underscore the importance of early engagement with the profession. By exploring diverse career paths, connecting with practitioners, and receiving constructive feedback, UF landscape architecture students are better equipped to navigate the transition from studio projects to having real-world impact.
For more on the DCP Design and Planning Career Day, visit dcp.ufl.edu/career.