BROOKINGS, South Dakota — Two South Dakota State University students in the landscape architecture program competed in an international competition in Istanbul, Turkey.
Jake Pytleski, of Rock Rapids, Iowa, and Miranda Peck, of Glenville, New York, represented the SDSU School of Design in the International Federation of Landscape Architects conference Sept. 4-6. Pytleski’s team placed third in the conference competition.
The students were accompanied by two faculty members, assistant professor Robert Dalton and associate professor Elizabeth Tofte, and the director of the School of Design, Pat Crawford. Dalton and Tofte presented their research at the conference.
The opportunity to have students present and compete at an international conference was something Dalton dreamed of when he was presenting his own master’s thesis at an International Federation of Landscape Architects conference in Cape Town.
SDSU received a direct invitation from the International Federation of Landscape Architects president for students to participate in a new Global Studio program. SDSU was one of five U.S. universities selected to participate in the program. Other universities included Penn State, Cornell University, University of California, Berkeley, and Clemson University.
SDSU was invited to select two students to participate. Pytleski and Peck were chosen based on submission of a comprehensive portfolio and short essay on why they wanted to participate. Pytleski is a senior landscape architecture major.
Landscape architecture students will present their work from 2 to 4 p.m. Nov. 1 during an open house in McFadden Biostress Room 104. They will share information on their personal work, conference attendance, study abroad opportunities and internships. The event is free and open to the public.