Alana Cornelison

Alana Cornelison

Fall 2020

Degree: Bachelor (Fall 2020)

Concentration: Landscape Design, Gardens & Urban Environments

Honors: Cum Laude; Fall 2020 Horticultural Science Outstanding Senior

How are you planning to use your degree?

I plan on joining a landscape design company as a designer for a time as well as conducting some side-hustle freelance work, then going back to school for my MLA so that I can become a Landscape Architect! I hope to someday have my own landscaping company with a focus on urban foodscaping and sustainable landscapes.

Clubs and Activities

  • Horticulture Club
  • Ag-Life
  • PAX

Whom do you want to thank?

I want to thank the Horticulture Department as a whole for their kindness and dedication towards their students. Walking through Kilgore Hall and consistently being able to catch up with professors both old and new made my educational experience feel personal and was a highlight of my time here.

I want to thank my advisor, Anne Spafford, for always having an open door and a helping hand. Her vigor and excitement for her craft is infectious and inspiring, and her classes are one of the reasons I fell so in love with landscape design.

Finally, I would like to thank my husband, Nate, for being my biggest cheerleader and moral support while I pursued my goals. His kindness, patience, and support are just a few of the many things that got me through college, and I hope to do the same for him as he pursues his dreams!

What is the best thing about studying horticulture at NC State?

The best part about studying horticulture at NC State is definitely the department… We have amazing advisors/faculty/professors that made learning a personal experience and were super approachable. It was awesome to know everyone by name and them know yours just due to how tight-knit the department is, and it made learning there a very pleasant experience.

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/alana-cornelison-b34a61119


Advisor Comments (Anne Spafford)

Alana is one of those outstanding students that elevates a professor’s teaching. Alana has an extremely artistic and creative flair, which she layers onto satisfying the functional requirements of a project. Her landscape designs done in class have routinely exceeded client expectations. She has also raised the bar of work of her peers by sharing her unique graphic styling and by leading by example. No matter the topic, she tackled every project and assignment with unparalleled excitement and energy.

She is a delightful person to be around—always smiling, no matter how much she had on her plate. She is an excellent people person and lover of life. I’ll never forget the day she had a live sphinx moth keeping her company at her design desk. 

Best of luck to you, Alana!

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