(July 30, 2025) Students from the Department of Landscape Architecture (LA) at the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment have been recognized for outstanding community development work in Mason County, Kentucky. The group worked with Blueprint Kentucky, formerly CEDIK, an organization within the college that champions programming and research focusing on community and economic development. 

The Kentucky Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects defines recipients of the merit award as projects that display good design and characterize environmental responsibility. 

The goal of the project, titled ‘Connecting Maysville,’ was to improve economic development in the town. Bringing in UK students created an opportunity for those who have never been to Maysville an opportunity to see it from a new perspective. 

The Department of Landscape Architecture was already familiar with the Maysville area, as this was the most recent in a string of projects funded by a nearly $400,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative – “Building Prosperity in Rural Communities summer fellowship program.” 

In 2022, UK opened the Ohio River Way Studio in Carrollton, followed by another studio in 2023 in collaboration with the Ohio River Way and the Kentucky I-71 Economic Development Alliance (KIEDA) in Milton. These openings, along with the Maysville project, were launched with the goal of revitalizing the Ohio River Basin. 

The Maysville project was aimed at improving the waterfront downtown area. Throughout the summer, student fellows studied towns of similar size to Maysville, economic trends in the area, met with community members to understand challenges they faced and had discussions on what success would mean for Mason County. 

Student fellows were not required to be LA students. Program advisors sought a mix of majors and specialties ensuring no ideas were off the table. 

“Our differences in perspective led to some conflict, and communication was not as straightforward as we would have liked,” said Keaton Sant, a Martin-Gatton CAFE student majoring in Community Leadership and Development.  

After spending time in the community, and a long canoe trip down the river, Sant and the group developed a better understanding of the environment, the people of Maysville and their work group. 

“The diversity of our team, while challenging, ultimately led to a more well-rounded, comprehensive plan than we could have ever imagined,” Sant said. “By combining the visionary designs of the landscape architects with the knowledgeable and respectful perspective of a historian, the realistic outlook of an economist, the passion of an environmentalist and my community-based approach, we were able to develop a plan that not only met the expressed needs of the community, but also allows Maysville to dream big!” 

Carolina Segura Bell, senior lecturer at the UK Department of Landscape Architecture, said that learning outside the classroom with students is most rewarding. 

“The impact of this award is threefold,” Bell said. “For students, it serves as recognition of their dedication to producing quality work and their commitment to learning and delivering a compelling story. For the community, it validates the students' work and serves as a tool to inspire and further progress. As a faculty member, the most rewarding experience is witnessing student success while contributing to the creation of healthier and more vibrant communities.” 

The recognition from the Kentucky ASLA sends a message that their work is impactful not just on campus, but across the Commonwealth. 

“The enthusiasm and work that Carolina Segura Bell, the students and the Blueprint Kentucky team put into this project sparked a fire that excited our city and its leadership,” said City of Maysville Mayor Debra Cotterill. “Their work and vision provide direction for long-term economic and quality-of-life outcomes.” 

This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative under award number 2021-68018-34622. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Department of Agriculture. 

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