Cook participates on Iowa State team at National Collegiate Landscape Competition

2017 Apr 18

Mitchell Cook was a member of the team from Iowa State University competeting at the National Collegiate Landscape Competition (NCLC), sponsored by the National Association of Landscape Professionals, at Bringham Young University in Provo, Utah.

Cook participated in irrigation assembly, truck and trailer operation, and turf and weed identification. In the irrigation assembly contest, students assembled, adjusted, and operated an above-ground irrigation system composed of pipes, sprinklers, heads, valves, and water conservation equipment. The truck and trailer operation contest required students to take a written test and drive a truck and trailer through an obstacle course. The turf and weed identification contest involved identifying turf grasses, turf grass insects, and turfs grass diseases by botanical name and common name. He placed 10th in irrigation assembly and 11th in truck and trailer operation.

This year, nearly 725 students from over 60 colleges and universities participated in the annual 3-day contest sponsored by national and regional landscape industry companies. The event provides students the opportunity to test their horticulture and landscape skills against their peers in 28 different competitions and to network with industry leaders through the large career fair and workshop sessions. Iowa State had participants in 14 of the events, with most events having 60-80 participants.

Students were led by Dr. Ann Marie VanDerZanden, professor in horticulture, Landscape Club advisor & NCLC coach.