Landscaping Company Wins Award for SHU Campus

Eastern Land Management embraces eco-friendly methods as it beautifies outdoor spaces

Sacred Heart University’s Park Avenue Campus is more than a home to thousands of students, faculty and staff: it’s also a prize-winning collection of lawns, foliage and plantings.

Eastern Land Management (ELM), a New York-based landscaping agency, recently won the 2024 Silver Award of Excellence from the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) for its outstanding work at SHU. The prestigious award recognizes the ELM team’s incredible work and contributions to the University.

The campus was judged based on the quality of its landscaping, including the difficulty level of its design, maintenance and other factors, including the appearance of trees and shrubs.

Since its founding in 1976, ELM has been dedicated to socially responsible commercial landscaping, working toward leaving the world in a better condition than they found it. The company provides its customers with creative solutions to build, maintain and repair outdoor spaces.

For its accomplishments at the SHU campus, the company was invited to the NALP award ceremony in Charlotte, NC, in November. There, members accepted a plaque in honor of their achievement.

Marc Izzo, vice president of construction & facilities management at SHU, was proud when he heard about the award. “This is a testament to the hard work and dedication the ELM team brings to SHU every day,” he said. “The countless hours they’ve poured into the campus are more than enough reason for this exceptional recognition.”

Carmelo Cicero-Santalena, associate vice president of capital projects for the University, said SHU’s campus is beautiful, and the award recognizes that. “The SHU campus is something we’re incredibly proud of,” he said. “From its design to its structural integrity, ELM deserves this distinguished honor.”