Bristol resident and Council Rock High School grad Lindsay Slusser never expected her path would lead from the body art industry to becoming one of the nation’s top undergraduate environmental scholars.
But this year, the Temple University landscape architecture student earned one of the country’s most prestigious academic honors.
Slusser is among the 2026 recipients of the Udall Scholarship, a nationally competitive award recognizing undergraduate students committed to environmental leadership, conservation, sustainability, and public service, writes Jess Rohan for the Bucks County Courier Times.
Only 65 students nationwide received the scholarship this year.
Her story stands out because it did not follow a traditional academic path.
Before returning to college, Slusser worked as a professional piercer while raising her son.
During the pandemic, she began reevaluating what she wanted her future to look like and found herself increasingly drawn toward environmental stewardship, ecological restoration, and the role public outdoor spaces play in people’s lives.
Today, Slusser studies landscape architecture through Temple University’s Tyler School of Art and Architecture and works at the Ambler Arboretum, where she helps maintain gardens and public green spaces.
She also contributed to Temple’s Philadelphia Flower Show projects and has become deeply involved in sustainability and community-focused initiatives.
Her long-term interests include conservation, environmental policy, historic preservation, biodiversity, and designing more accessible public spaces.
She has said she hopes her work helps create healthier ecosystems and stronger communities for future generations.
Outside the classroom, Slusser remains active in Bristol through volunteer work, including helping at a local food bank and supporting efforts to reduce plastic bag use in the community.
The recognition also marks the first time in nine years a Temple student has earned the Udall Scholarship.
Learn more about Slusser’s unconventional journey from the body art industry to landscape architecture in the full Bucks County Courier Times story.
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