Via Report - Sustainable Land Development

The Bowman Sustainable Land Development Program completed its first year functioning as an endowed program. Along with this change, LDDI was rebranded from Land Development Design Initiative to Land Development Design Industry. It remains as the portal through which land development industry engages with students. This year, there was a record number of corporate sponsors with 46 companies, resulting in $243,000 in sponsorships. LDDI added two new alumni, Michael Cardman and Jessie Ponce de Leon, to the LDDI Executive Board. In addition, the first out-of-town field trips since 2019 occurred with students traveling to visit sites in Charlotte in April. LDDI held a practitioner recognition and celebration event in Arlington in July. They also established a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee and plan to continue using that committee moving forward.

In only its second year, the graduate program grew from three to nearly 20 students. The success of the program is due in part to the faculty who were recognized for their excellence. Kevin Young received the 2023 Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence and Claire White was promoted to Associate Professor of Practice. Holly Casey also completed her first year as Assistant Professor of Practice, teaching CEE courses in land development and also teaching courses in the Blackwood Department of Real Estate. In addition, the advanced land development course was offered in-person for the first time since 2019. This hands-on course is led by LDDI practitioners.