A distinctive view

Living in a rural area in Alaska, 40 minutes from Fairbanks, Aisha Malik ’25 often took a 4×4 to school—and quite a few times, a dog sled.

Her mother, a data analyst with the Fairbanks Native Association, and her father, a project manager at the local military base, instilled in her, at an early age, a love for the outdoors. Her mother taught her to fish, gather, and forage. Family trips were often to fish for salmon or camp out. There was hiking, gardening and rock climbing to pass the time.

“Growing up in Alaska was magic. However, I only realized that once I left to see other parts of the country,” says Malik, a senior majoring in landscape architecture. “I always thought that was normal. But once I left, I realized that not everyone lives like that, funny enough!”

Her passion for the outdoors—and a love of nature and art—gave her something else: an interest in landscape architecture. And with that, a desire to return to Alaska after college to help fill the need for licensed landscape architects in a state known for its pristine landscape.

“I initially wanted to study architecture,” says Malik, who has honed her art skills since seventh grade and recently added an interest in painting, mostly landscapes. “But when I learned about landscape architecture, something just clicked. I felt like I found the most perfect career for me.”

3,000 miles to Rhode Island

Malik started her college journey at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. But after her first year, having found landscape architecture, she decided to transfer out of state. No universities in Alaska have a landscape architecture program—leaving her to hunt the lower 48 for one.

With her interest in art, Malik, as a child, dreamed of studying at Rhode Island School of Design. So she knew about Rhode Island, even more than 3,000 miles away. When she learned URI had a landscape architecture program, she made the trip—no dog sled needed.

“I knew that going to school 3,000 miles away was going to be a big change,” says Malik, a first-generation American of Pakistani and Ukrainian descent. “But I can safely say it was the best decision of my life so far.”

At URI, she has become a big booster of the landscape architecture program. The faculty and staff have been very welcoming. The smaller class sizes have allowed her to connect with classmates, and build some of her closest friendships. She also is vice president of the American Society of Landscape Architects Rhode Island Student Chapter; she was the social media chair last year.

“I have really enjoyed the studio aspect of the program,” says Malik, who also minors in community planning. “Each student gets their own drafting table, which can be decorated however students like. It’s a great perk of being a landscape architecture student.”

Another draw was that URI and Alaska Fairbanks are part of a national student exchange program—so Malik pays a lower tuition. For someone paying her own way through college, that was big. She started saving to pay out-of-state tuition her first year at Alaska Fairbanks, worked 50-hour weeks (fittingly) at outdoor gear retailer REI during the summers, and applied for as many scholarships as possible.

Awards, internships, and what’s next

Last spring, that strategy paid off in three awards from the American Society of Landscape Architects Council of Fellows Scholarship—a total of $15,000 in grants and a registration and travel stipend to the ASLA conference in Washington, D.C., this month. “I’m extremely grateful for the Landscape Architecture Foundation, and all the support they have been providing,” she says. “Gaining this financial help has significantly changed the trajectory of my academic career for the best. I will no longer have to take out loans to pay for school, which is huge.”

The past two summers, Malik has interned at two Fairbanks landscape architecture firms—Design Alaska and Bettisworth North Architects and Planners—to prepare her for her goal of working in her home state after college. Landscape architecture is a small field in Alaska, with only 55 licensed landscape architects in a state of 663,000 square miles, she says. In Fairbanks, she says, the landscape is covered with snow, temperatures below zero, and darkness almost half the year. The growing season is only three months. 

“How does a landscape architect deal with something like this?” she asks. “That is when creativity and ingenuity come into play. Using engaging lighting, hardscapes, and plants with winter interest are some ways to invite some flair to the winter.”

“I am really interested in how landscape architecture can impact a state that is known for its untouched landscape,” she adds. “Alaska is growing, and with climate change, the cities here need to consider environmentally conscious design. I would like to be a part of that conversation.”

—Tony LaRoche

An earlier version of this story was published in Rhody Today, July 17, 2024.