March 30, 2021 | Atlanta, GA

By Zoe Kafkes

Georgia Tech’s Student Planning Association (SPA) won the American Planning Association’s (APA) 2021 Outstanding Planning Student Organization (PSO) Award. The Outstanding PSO Award recognizes one PSO each year for its extraordinary efforts.

SPA is comprised of graduate students in the School of City and Regional Planning. Throughout the year, SPA conducts a variety of social, academic, career development, and community outreach events responsive to student needs and interests. Affiliated with the Georgia Planning Association and APA, SPA works alongside the School of City and Regional Planning, supporting initiatives for student academic and career success and ensuring that student learning goals and achievements are communicated to faculty. 

“I cannot be more proud of our student body and all our student leaders who have been instrumental in building the culture of service, leadership, and innovation in multiple domains of our School,” Subhrajit Guhathakurta, Chair for the School of City & Regional Planning, said.

This year’s SPA board focused heavily on raising conversations about equity, while building community in a virtual world. They added an International Student Representative to the board, and collaborated closely with Black Lady Planners, a student-led group borne out of 2020’s summer of social and political unrest.

“I am so proud of and thankful for all members of our board and the work they've done for our fellow students throughout the pandemic,” SPA President Freyja Brandel-Tanis said.