Michael Burkle (left) and ICNP board John Hughes (right)
Ames, Iowa – On February 23, 2019, the Iowa Nursery and Landscape Association (INLA) named Michael Burkle, Landscape Construction Instructor at Kirkwood Community College and small business owner, as the 2019 ICNP of the Year. He was named at the INLA hosted awards ceremony during the Iowa State University Shade Tree & Short Course in Ames, Iowa.
Everyone who knows Burkle describes him as a humble and kind man of few words. He is truly a teacher in everything he does. Burkle has fun identifying hardscape patterns on walks with his wife and quite possibly noting a job well done or snapping a few photos of a failed project. Burkle clearly has a passion for what he does and loves sharing it with anyone around him.
After 9 years of teaching at Kirkwood Community College, he’s still constantly tweaking and updating his materials to ensure his courses are engaging and current with industry practices. He also stays relevant and connected to the industry as owner/operator of Rock Hardscapes, which was recognized at Unilock’s 2018 Awards of Excellence for their outstanding work in landscape construction.
Burkle’s dedication to teaching and his students is most evident in the amount of time he invests in his work and students outside of the classroom. It’s not uncommon to find him in front of his computer late into the evening creating or refining class materials. Each year he spends his spring break driving a van full of students halfway across the country to compete in the National Collegiate Landscape Competition.
Burkle has gone above and beyond for INLA to help organize and orchestrate our INLA Day of Service by bringing tools, supplies, and volunteer students. Congratulations to Michael Burkle for his achievement on earning the 2019 ICNP of the Year.
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