Cole Vredeveld was recoginzed as a Chancellor’s Scholar during the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s undergraduate commencement ceremonies May 9 at Pinnacle Bank Arena. He earned a Bachelor of Science in plant and landscape systems with an option in landscape design and management and an emphasis in specialty crop production.
Chancellor’s Scholars are students who have maintained 4.0 grade-point averages on all collegiate work at Nebraska and elsewhere.
Vredeveld said his drive for academic success started early, encouraged by parents who celebrated strong grades throughout elementary, middle and high school. By the time he arrived at college, maintaining a 4.0 GPA felt like continuing a long-standing tradition.
In his hometown of Bennington, Nebraska, he developed a love for plants and landscapes through family camping trips to Wyoming, gardening during high school and early landscaping projects.
“Around seventh grade, I tried to take a lodgepole pine seedling home along a trail because I loved it so much, but it died,” Vredeveld said. “So, I went to Home Depot at Christmas and I got a Norfolk Island pine that I still have now. It's actually like 7 or 8 feet tall. It’s a house plant.”
Cole Vredeveld (left) presents his final project in Plant and Landscape Systems 469 Ecological Landscape Design.
Fran tenBensel Benne | Agronomy and Horticulture
He eventually chose the university because of its strong reputation in horticulture and native plants, influenced in part by watching Backyard Farmer and exploring Nebraska’s natural landscapes.
A self-proclaimed plant nerd, he deepened his passion for plants at Nebraska through coursework, especially plant identification classes taught by Kim Todd, where students learned outdoors.
“So I always remember her [Todd] plant ID classes where no matter the weather, we would go out on a forced march and write field notes at a million miles an hour, trying to keep up with what she said,” he said.
Vredeveld developed a strong interest in native plants and ecological landscape design, influenced by the plant diversity on the university’s East Campus, including the Backyard Farmer Garden.
Outside the classroom, he was involved in the UNL Horticulture Club and Pi Alpha Xi while also gaining hands-on experience interning and working for Nebraska alumni in the landscaping, nursery and native plant industries, including Nathan Duffy of Midwest Natives Nursery and Jane English at Autumn Magic Gardens.
His adviser was Kim Todd, professor of agronomy and horticulture.
Vredeveld plans to continue working in horticulture and landscape design at two garden companies while launching his own business focused on naturalistic and ecological landscape design and management.
