Ambler College

General Information

Founded 2000
Sophia Wisniewska, Ph.D. Dean
580 Meetinghouse Road
Ambler, PA 19002
215-283-1201 or 1-888-GO AMBLER
ambler@temple.edu
http://www.ambler.temple.edu

See The Ambler Campus Section Of This Bulletin For More Information On Services, Facilities, And Student Life.

Introduction
Accreditations
Admissions Information
Financial Aid and Scholarships
Special Programs and Facilities
Awards for Achievement and Honor Societies
Student Associations

Introduction

The Temple University Board of Trustees affirmed the collegial status of Ambler College and formally recognized Ambler College as the 17th college of Temple University in 2000. Ambler College presently houses programs in Community and Regional Planning, Horticulture, and Landscape Architecture, with plans for future academic programs to be added under the college umbrella.

The mission of Ambler College is the enhancement of the relationship between individuals, social patterns, and political systems and the natural, built, and cultural environments of contemporary life. Ambler College upholds the environmental traditions established by the Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women and carried forward by our founding Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture. As Temple University's 17th college, Ambler College has a commitment to the health of communities, the preservation and appreciation of the natural and historical landscape, and the recognition of the connections between the natural and constructed worlds. (Adopted by the Faculty, Ambler College, December, 2000.)  Ambler College core values are: student-centered learning, community engagement, and environmental responsibility.

The Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture traces its origins to the Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women, founded in 1910. Originally the department offered only two-year Associate degree programs but in 1988 added two four-year degree programs in Landscape Architecture and Horticulture. The department's evolution has combined theory with practice, continuing the tradition of blending art and science with practical experience. The department promotes the development of skills to solve major environmental problems in the urban, suburban, and rural landscape through an ecological approach to planning, design, development, and care of the land. Courses and programs are offered that utilize the 187-acre Ambler campus as both arboretum and laboratory for the work of faculty and students. Students use a state-of-the-art greenhouse, opened in Fall 2001.

The Department of Community and Regional Planning, building on the traditions already established in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture and the Center for Sustainable Communities (See Special Programs and Facilities), develops skilled practitioners for the dynamic and growing field of planning in the government, non-profit, and private sectors. Students develop an understanding of the physical and economic issues of planning, sensitivity to the social and environmental impact of planning decisions, and a knowledge of governmental structures as they apply to planning. The program places students on the front lines of efforts to create and maintain sustainable communities by providing students with a broad-based understanding and awareness of multi-dimensional land-use and planning issues.

The Ambler campus (as described elsewhere in the Bulletin) continues to be a teaching site for many courses and full degree programs sponsored by other schools and colleges of the University. (See the Degree Programs Chart for a listing of the full degree programs and the Ambler Campus section for additional information on campus facilities and services.)

Return to menu

Accreditations

The Landscape Architecture program is accredited by the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board.
The undergraduate program in Community and Regional Planning will seek accreditation from the Planning Accreditation Board. As required by the Board, this only can occur after 25 students have graduated from this undergraduate program.

Return to menu

Admissions Information

Ambler Admissions Office
215-283-1252 or 1-888-GO-AMBLER
ambler@temple.edu.
A strong interest in the environment, planning, and/or design is highly desirable for students who enroll in all programs offered by Ambler College. Students interested in Community and Regional Planning also should have a desire to develop computer, social science, and communications skills. Applicants to the Landscape Architecture and Horticulture programs, depending on the intended area of study, should have a background that includes courses in art, geometry, biology, and geography. Prospective Landscape Architecture and Horticulture students should also see Sophomore Approval.

Longwood Gardens Agreement

Students who graduate from the Longwood Gardens Professional Gardeners Program and are admissible to Temple University may receive up to 52 credits toward the Bachelor of Science degree in Landscape Architecture or Horticulture. Specified courses in the agreement must be passed with a grade of B or higher to be eligible for transfer credit. Call the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture for details.

Upper Darby High School Agreement

Graduates from Upper Darby High School who meet Temple’s admission standards and apply to the Associate of Science in Horticulture program within one year of high school graduation can receive up to 6 transfer credits toward the Associate’s degree. Students must complete specified high school courses with a grade of B or higher. Students should see their Upper Darby high school counselor for details.

Return to menu

Financial Aid and Scholarships

In addition to assistance from the Department of Student Financial Services, there are several scholarships and grants-in-aid that are available only to Ambler campus students, Horticulture, Landscape Architecture, and Community and Regional Planning students. Also see the Financial Aid section of this Bulletin.

W. B. Saul High School of Agricultural Sciences Scholarships

Two scholarships, the Robert Hunt Scholarship and the William Mifflin Scholarship, are available to students graduating from Philadelphia’s Saul High School who are admissible to Temple University and wish to study Horticulture, Landscape Architecture, or Community and Regional Planning. Interested Saul students should contact the principal of the high school for information.

Grants and Scholarships for Community and Regional Planning Students 

The Toward Sustainability Scholarship: is an annual $1000 non-renewable scholarship awarded to an Ambler campus sophomore or junior Community and Regional Planning major with a minimum grade point average of 2.75 or higher and a demonstrated a commitment to community service.

Arthur F. Loeben Scholarship in Community and Regional Planning

The Arthur F. Loeben Scholarship is awarded to a freshman or transfer student majoring in Community and Regional Planning. The Chairperson of the Department of Community and Regional Planning chooses the recipient of the tuition scholarship based on academic performance, extracurricular activities, and interest in the field of planning. A one-page essay describing the importance of planning in the student’s community is required. The application deadline is March 1. The scholarship is a $1000 renewable award which a student may receive for up to four years by maintaining at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average and by remaining enrolled in the Community and Regional Planning bachelor's degree program.

Grants and Scholarships for Landscape Architecture and Horticulture Students

Applications for the following are available in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture office:
• Wilmer Atkinson Memorial Scholarship: provides tuition assistance of varying amounts based on scholarship and financial need.

• The Louise and James Bush-Brown Alumni Scholarship:  $500 scholarship presented annually by the Ambler Campus Alumni Association to a sophomore for academic excellence during the past year.
• Doylestown Nature Club Scholarship: three scholarships of $1500 awarded annually based on academic performance and financial need. Preference is given to students from Bucks County.
• Garden Club of Bala Cynwyd Scholarship: two $500 awards annually based on academic performance and financial need. Preference is given to students from Bala Cynwyd.
• Lou Henry Hoover Girl Scout Scholarship: $1,000 awarded annually to a student who has been active in Girl Scouting based on financial need.
• Larkin Family Scholarship: a $1,000-$2,000 scholarship awarded annually to a student, from Maryland, based on financial need.
• The Jane R. Martin Memorial Scholarship: awarded to two students entering their sophomore year based on academic achievement, financial need, and demonstrated potential for future success in Horticulture or Landscape Architecture.
• Pennsylvania Landscape and Nursery Association (PLNA) Foundation Scholarship: a $1000 tuition award to a Horticulture major, in year two of the Associate’s degree program or in year three or four of the Bachelor’s degree program, with a grade point average of at least 3.0 in the major and 2.5 cumulatively, who has excelled in projects demonstrating ability to apply knowledge gained to real life situations. Students are nominated by Department faculty.
• Peter G. Schlotterer Ecological Restoration Scholarship: two $1,800 scholarships awarded annually to junior or senior students who reside in southeastern Pennsylvania and demonstrate commitment to environmental preservation and restoration. The scholarships are based on academic performance and financial need.
• Lenora Friesleben Vaughan Scholarship:  $ 500 scholarship awarded annually to a student entering his/her sophomore year based on academic performance and financial need.
• Woman's National Farm and Garden Association, National Level, Scholarship: two $1,000 scholarships awarded annually based on academic performance and financial need.
• Woman's National Farm and Garden Association, Beacon Hill of New Jersey Division, Scholarship: $600 awarded annually to a female student from New Jersey, if possible; based on academic performance and financial need.
• Woman's National Farm and Garden Association, Pennsylvania Division, Elizabeth C. Barron Scholarship: $300 scholarship awarded annually to a female student, preferably from western Pennsylvania.

Return to menu

Special Programs and Facilities

Center for Sustainable Communities (CSC) at Temple University Ambler
Jeffrey Featherstone, Ph.D., Director
215-283-1540
www.csc.temple.edu

The Center for Sustainable Communities was established in July 2000 to develop and promote new approaches to protecting and preserving quality of life through sustainable development, balancing the relationship between environmental integrity, economic prosperity, and social equity. It was designed to build on Temple University Ambler’s strengths in horticulture and landscape architecture and to draw upon the expertise of all Temple University faculty. A working resource for government agencies, community organizations, and developers, the Center provides objective information and services to improve decision-making relative to land use and water resources planning, in addition to conducting interdisciplinary research and offering educational and community outreach programs. Students in degree programs in Community and Regional Planning, Horticulture, and Landscape Architecture have the opportunity to take full advantage of the CSC to obtain practical experience on campus.

Greenhouse
215-283-1292
The Greenhouse provides students with a first-class facility to study plant and soil science. The energy-efficient greenhouse includes computerized climate controls and thermal blankets to protect the plants in the winter and shade them in the summer. Modern fertilizer injection systems water and fertilize plants simultaneously. In addition to being used for coursework, the Greenhouse provides faculty and students with a facility to conduct horticulture research that is at the forefront of the industry.

The Landscape Arboretum of Temple University Ambler
Jenny Rose Carey, Director
215-283-1292
http://www.temple.edu/ambler/la-hort/aboutarboretum.htm

The Temple University Ambler campus serves as an excellent outdoor teaching laboratory for numerous classes and as a source of inspiration for the campus and local communities. The campus was officially designated an arboretum in March 2000. Now known as The Landscape Arboretum of Temple University Ambler, it continues to develop as a living laboratory. The formal gardens have recently been revitalized to express the character of their original design, and many new garden additions are included throughout the grounds.

As the home of Temple University's Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture, the Ambler campus has a myriad of learning gardens, including an herb garden, ground cover garden, native plant garden, formal gardens, rock wall, woodland garden, wetland garden, trial garden, large perennial borders, a planned winter contemplative garden featuring fragrant plants, a proposed xeriscape garden featuring a special collection of dwarf conifers, and a green roof garden.

Semester Abroad
After careful consultation with their advisors, juniors and seniors in Landscape Architecture and Horticulture and students in other Ambler College programs may elect to enroll in a semester abroad. Many options are available, including the Edinburgh Exchange Program.  Applications and scholarship information for this exchange program are available from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture. For more information about Study Abroad options, see International Programs and Study Abroad.

Return to menu

Awards for Achievement and Honor Societies

Academic and Leadership Awards

All Ambler campus students are eligible to qualify for the academic and leadership awards presented annually that are described in the Ambler Campus section of this Bulletin.
The following annual awards are available to Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture students only:
• Ambler College Alumni Association Award: a cash award to a graduating student in Horticulture or Landscape Architecture for dedication, unselfishness, and contribution to the college.
• American Society for Horticultural Science Award: recognizes an outstanding senior undergraduate student in Horticulture; based on scholarly achievement, leadership activities, participation in campus/club activities, and services to the department. 
• American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Student Awards of Honor and Merit: recognize students, with cumulative averages of at least 3.0, who, in the opinions of their faculty and professionals from the local ASLA chapter, have achieved a sustained level of outstanding performance in their studies and show promise of making significant contributions to the profession.
American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), Pennsylvania/Delaware Chapter, Central Pennsylvania Section, Design Excellence Award: an annual award to a Landscape Architecture major entering the junior or senior year, who, in the opinion of the Department faculty, shows design excellence, leadership, and professional promise.  The award will fund expenses associated with attending the ASLA National or State Meeting.
• Viola Anders Merit Award: a cash award presented to one graduating student and one undergraduate in Horticulture or Landscape Architecture for meritorious service in the greenhouse or the Landscape Arboretum of Temple University Ambler.
• The Emma Blakiston-Frances Lukens Book Award: a $50 award for the purchase of books, given to the member of the graduating class in Horticulture and Landscape Architecture who ranks highest in academic achievement.
• Bierhuizen Family Undergraduate Research Award: presented annually to a Horticulture student to help defray the costs associated with the Senior Research Project.
• The Faculty Special Contribution Award: a $100 cash award presented, when merited, in recognition of a graduating student’s outstanding contributions to the improvement of the Department.
• Landscape Architecture and Horticulture Faculty Award: presented to graduating students in Horticulture (A.S.), Horticulture (B.S.), and Landscape Architecture (B.S.) for academic excellence and personal growth during their years at Ambler. 
• The Pi Alpha Xi Award of Admiration: presented to a graduating member of the Alpha Mu chapter of the Pi Alpha Xi national horticulture honor society who is most admired by his/her peers. 
• The Special Achievement Award: presented, when merited, in recognition of a student’s perseverance and determination in pursuit of the Associate of Science or Bachelor of Science degree. 

Landscape Architecture and Horticulture Honor Societies

Pi Alpha Xi is the national honor society for students majoring in horticulture. To be admitted to the society, a student must be a junior or senior and have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.75, and a grade point average of at least 3.0 in all horticulture courses.
Sigma Lambda Alpha is the honor society for landscape architecture majors. To be admitted to the society, a student must be a junior or be in the fifth semester of their program and have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.2. A student who does not qualify in the junior year may be elected in the senior year.

Return to menu

Student Associations

 Landscape Architecture and Horticulture Student Association

This organization, which incorporates a Pennsylvania/Delaware Student Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), holds annual fundraising events, such as plant sales, and sponsors a student-mentoring program.

 In addition, all Ambler College students may participate in the student organizations listed in the Ambler Campus section of this Bulletin.

Return to menu