Temple University Ambler Alumni Receive National Award of Excellence
The Reading Railroad was once one of the primary industrial lifelines for a constantly growing City of Philadelphia. In 1984, the once-common site of seemingly never-ending commercial rail cars winding their way through the city came to an end, leaving behind a mostly-unused swath of gravel, greenery and tunnels. For students in Temple University’s Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture, this “forgotten” railway presented a rich canvas for innovative ideas designed to revitalize the region and enrich the neighborhoods through which the railroad once traveled. Their efforts, which have contributed to a groundswell of grassroots and governmental interest in the Reading Railroad site, have been nationally recognized by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). Diana Fernandez and Amy Syverson, graduates of Temple’s Landscape Architecture bachelor’s program will be presented with a national Student Award of Excellence in the “Communications” category for Above, Below, Beyond, an exhibition of student work coupled with community suggestions for what the railroad site could become in the future. Read more.
Community and Regional Planning Alumnus Inducted into Temple’s Gallery of Success
Ever since he was a child, David L. Butcher always had a passion for urban environments. Armed with an Urban Studies degree from the University of Pennsylvania, Butcher became an urban planner with the City of Harrisburg’s Planning Bureau and coordinated all new development projects in the city. It was during this time that Butcher discovered Temple’s Community and Regional Planning program, which he completed at the Harriburg Campus in 2008. Fast forward five years, and Butcher is now president and full partner at WCI Partners LP in Harrisburg, an urban revitalization and redevelopment company. Butcher is the first Community and Regional Planning alumnus to be inducted into Temple’s Gallery of Success as the 2013 inductee for the School of Environmental Design. Read more.
Aging in Place Study Garners State Recognition for Temple Planning Studio
The aging of society is an enormously important demographic change that has implications for every aspect of life in the U.S. Earlier this year, Department of Community and Regional Planning graduate and undergraduate students completed a comprehensive report entitled “Aging With Our Communities—An Aging in Place Plan for Montgomery County,” created for the Montgomery County Office of Aging and Adult Services. The highly detailed 167-page report explores several factors to help older residents live in their homes for as long as possible, from housing, transportation and emergency management to community engagement, healthcare and food services. This attention to essential details when determining what is required to ensure independence while aging is possible has not gone unnoticed. The students were honored with the 2013 “Student Project Award” from the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Planning Association during ceremonies held in October. Read more.
Class Notes
Dr. Hans Zutter, a former Horticulture faculty member who is best remembered for his Fruits and Vegetables, Soils and Entomology classes, died November 17. He joined Temple Ambler in January 1957 and retired after 35 years in 1992.
End of the Year Gifts
Make a difference for the students who attend the School of Environmental Design by giving a gift to a scholarship of your choice. Each scholarship is unique; For more information, visit the Scholarship and Awards page.
If you have already made a gift—thank you!
Best wishes to you and your families throughout the holiday season and new year!
Linda M. Lowe
Director, Development and Alumni Affairs
School of Environmental Design and Ambler Campus
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