Sigma Lambda Alpha Honorary Records, 1972-2007

The idea of the honor society, which is exclusively devoted to students in landscape architecture, was developed in 1976 by CELA president, Professor R.E. Toth. The honor society of Sigma Lambda Alpha was later established by the Executive Board and officers of the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture Incorporated (CELA) in Minneapolis, Minnesota on September 24, 1977.

CELA president, Professor Michael R. Hodges at Michigan State University, asked William H. Snyder of the University of Idaho to be the society’s first executive secretary and to start a task force to form the honor society. The honor society was furthered by the desire to continue a precedent set by the earlier but short-lived local honor society of landscape architecture, urban planning, and allied arts, Beta Alpha Sigma at Michigan State University in the 1960s. The society was incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in the state of Michigan on April 11, 1989. As of 2011, there are 55 collegiate chapters that have received charters, as well as the Alpha Founders Chapter for distinguished and founding members.

Sigma Lambda Alpha is a specialized national honor society that promotes, recognizes and rewards scholarly leadership and character as well as provides professional education and preparation for the career of landscape architecture. The motto of Sigma Lambda Alpha has been, “scholar, architect of the land, embraces the whole of nature and art” and also, “fit mankind to the earth and the earth to mankind.” Membership is open to persons who have demonstrated achievement in the profession of landscape architecture in association with a program or unit of a school, department or college of a university. Sigma Lambda Alpha has the distinction to be the only national honor society in North America that exclusively recognizes scholarship in landscape architecture.