FSU’s Department of Urban and Regional Planning’s Planner-in-Residence Dennis J. Smith, FAICP, and prominent alumnus Wiatt Bowers, FAICP, were elected into the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners (FAICP) Class of 2026 on February 27th.
The American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) is the only organization that provides nationwide, independent certification of planners’ expertise. Election into the College of Fellows is the highest honor awarded by the AICP, recognizing exemplary professional achievement and leadership.
After a rigorous and thorough review process, inductees are elected only every two years and are carefully selected for their excellence in professionalism, mentorship, research, and public service. This year, 55 planners have been elected and will be inducted into the College of Fellows class of 2026.
Dennis J. Smith, FAICP, Planner-in-Residence at the Florida State University Department of Urban and Regional Planning, has built a career of more than 30 years spanning the public sector, private consulting, and academia. He is a recognized leader in hazard mitigation planning and policy development.
A 1994 MSP graduate of the department, he returned to FSU, home of one of the nation’s highest-ranked planning programs, contributing to applied planning projects, peer-reviewed research, and teaching. His work with students and external partners has produced meaningful change both in Florida and as far afield as Guatemala and Ecuador, with more than a dozen of his student-engaged projects receiving awards from major statewide professional organizations.
“Election to the College of Fellows is a pinnacle of recognition in the urban planning profession. I see this honor not as a finish line, but as a charge to continue advancing the profession through thoughtful innovation, applied practice, and sustained mentorship of emerging planners,” Smith said. “As an FSU DURP alumnus (MSP 1994), it is particularly meaningful to be able to guide the next generation of the nation’s best planners. Go Noles!”
Wiatt Bowers, FAICP, is a prominent alumnus who earned his Master of Science in Planning degree from FSU in 1996. He is currently a Planning & Urban Design Market Lead with AtkinsRéalis, an established engineering organization. Bowers has over 30 years of experience in planning and is currently the board chair of the Health Planning Council of Northeast Florida, and a past president of the Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association.
“This recognition is incredibly meaningful to me. I knew from an early age that I wanted to be an urban planner and joined the American Planning Association in 1993. I became a certified planner in 1998 and have been dedicated to advancing planning efforts ever since,” Bowers said. “I am inspired to continue strengthening our communities and guiding the planners who will shape our future.”
On Sunday, April 26, the Class of 2026 Fellows will be officially inducted at the 2026 National Planning Conference in Detroit, Michigan. After the ceremony, a ticketed reception will be held to celebrate the newly elected Fellows and their accomplishments.
For more information about the Class of 2026 Fellows, visit planning.org/faicp.
For more information on the Department of Urban & Regional Planning, visit cosspp.fsu.edu/durp