The Department of Urban and Regional Planning (DURP) provides a number of opportunities for alumni, employers, and friends to stay engaged with DURP and its students.
FSU DURP Alumni Council
The FSU Department of Urban and Regional Planning’s (DURP) Alumni Council serves as a sounding board for DURP on important programmatic issues affecting the Department. Council members also serve as Ambassadors for DURP who assist the Department in furthering its mission of educating students to think critically, exhibit technical competence, facilitate adaptive learning, and effectively engage the political process over the course of their professional planning careers.
The Alumni Council includes up to 20 alumni who are invited by DURP to serve on the council for a 2-year term. Council members may serve up to 6 consecutive years. The Alumni Council elects one of its members to serve as Chair for a 2-year term. DURP selects Alumni Council members to reflect the diversity of races, genders, ages, and specializations of DURP Alumni, as well as the breadth of locations within which DURP Alumni work. The Alumni Council also includes the DURP Chair, one additional DURP faculty member appointed by the DURP Chair, and one current DURP student appointed by Synoptikos, the Department’s graduate student organization.
Alumni Council members work to enhance the visibility of the Department and its alumni in the planning profession in Florida, the United States, and internationally. Alumni Council members serve as representatives of all DURP alumni and help the Department to engage alumni from across Florida, the United States, and internationally in the activities of the department.
Alumni Council members provide feedback to DURP on proposed curricular initiatives, programming, and events; connect students with internship, career placement, and other professional training opportunities; and engage students with professional planning groups in Florida and throughout the United States. Alumni Council members assist DURP with development and outreach activities that maintain the Tradition of Excellence of the Department. Alumni Council members actively contribute to the Department’s development efforts and members are expected to be annual donors to the Department.
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Mentor a Planning Student (MAPS) Program with APA Florida and DURP
The Mentor A Planning Student (MAPS) initiative is a partnership of APA Florida and FSU DURP that pairs experienced planning professionals with first-year MSP students. The program’s goals are:
- to expose FSU DURP master’s students to the actual work environments, responsibilities, and interactions of professional planning positions in Florida;
- to bring FSU DURP master’s students into a mentor relationship with a practicing public or private sector planner in their region;
- to help FSU DURP master’s students begin to develop their professional career networks; and
- to further facilitate the relationship between university planning programs, APA Florida, sections, and planning professionals.
MAPS mentors provide their student mentees with at least two shadowing experiences, resume reviews, and professional development counseling. The MAPS program extends through the academic year and culminates at the end of April.
MAPS mentor volunteers are sought at the start of each fall semester to begin their mentoring roles by October. If you are interested in being a MAPS volunteer, please contact DURP Chair Chris Coutts at ccoutts@fsu.edu.
Alumni Scholarship Fund
DURP alumni and friends are invited to contribute to the Alumni Scholarship Fund. The alumni scholarship fund provides financial aid to master’s students. Individuals interested in contributing to the fund should contact DURP Chair Chris Coutts at ccoutts@fsu.edu.
Development Fund
DURP alumni and friends are invited to contribute to the Development fund that provides financial support for departmental professional and social activities for students. Individuals interested in contributing to the fund should contact DURP Chair Chris Coutts at ccoutts@fsu.edu.