Video: Former NFL Star Eddie George Encourages Young People to Become Landscape Architects

Four-time Pro-Bowler enjoying success as landscape architecture firm owner

WASHINGTON, April 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Eddie George, the 1995 Heisman Trophy winner who became a star running back for the Tennessee Titans and Dallas Cowboys, is relishing his new career as a landscape architect and owner of The EDGE Group, a successful firm with offices in Columbus, Ohio, and Nashville, Tennessee. He wants young people to consider landscape architecture as a great career that combines art with protecting the environment.

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"In 1992, when I came to Ohio State, I really wanted to get something out of my education, something that I had a passion for beyond football, preferably doing design work and being creative," says George. "Someone suggested that I try landscape architecture, so I took a course early that year and fell in love with it. At its essence, landscape architecture is about creating memorable places and coming up with creative solutions that are environmentally responsible and that bring our client's vision to life."

April is National Landscape Architecture Month and George has volunteered to be the official spokesperson for the theme "Discover Careers in Landscape Architecture." He recently spent a morning taping messages for television and radio to encourage students and their parents to think about landscape architecture as a great career.

Landscape architects can design many different types of projects, including homes of all sizes, parks and recreational facilities, streetscapes and retail areas, college campuses, therapeutic gardens for hospitals, hotels and resorts, golf courses, green roofs, memorials, waterfronts, and many more. Some focus on environmental projects, such as stormwater management, wetlands restoration, and brownfields cleanup. Others plan entire communities and transportation systems. Regardless of their specialty, all landscape architects are committed to making their projects as sustainable as possible.

The Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics says the demand for landscape architecture services is the fastest growing among the design professions and projects the number of jobs in the field to grow by over 16 percent during the next eight years. It is also one of the most lucrative green collar jobs available. The starting salary for graduates of accredited landscape architecture programs is $40,080 to $44,600. The annual salary for all landscape architects averages nearly $90,000, with experienced landscape architects and firm owners earning much more.

"It's such an important profession because everything we do affects the environment," says George. "I mean, we do everything outside the walls of the building, so we need more young people, we need creative thinkers, and we need more talent to grow the profession. You can make a change by becoming a landscape architect and there are many opportunities to be successful. We have fun, we have passion, and we enjoy coming up with creative solutions."

About ASLA

Founded in 1899, ASLA is the national professional association for landscape architects, representing more than 18,200 members in 48 professional chapters and 68 student chapters. The Society's mission is to lead, to educate, and to participate in the careful stewardship, wise planning, and artful design of our cultural and natural environments. Members of the Society use their "ASLA" suffix after their names to denote membership and their commitment to the highest ethical standards of the profession. Learn more about landscape architecture careers online at http://www.asla.org.

About Eddie George, ASLA

Eddie George received his bachelor's degree in landscape architecture from The Ohio State University in 2001. The original visionary of The EDGE Group, George continues to shape the company through business development and marketing throughout the United States. He has instilled in the culture of The EDGE Group the same values that he learned on the football field: commitment, teamwork, and perseverance. George has been a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects since 2004.

About The EDGE Group

The EDGE Group, with offices in Columbus, Ohio, and Nashville, Tennessee, provides planning, landscape architecture, and graphic design services to a variety of clients across the country. The talented staff of experienced and emerging professionals prides itself on its collaborative culture, looking at projects with the big picture in mind, taking them from vision to implementation. Learn more about The EDGE Group at http://www.edgela.com.