VCU news

By Mike Porter

Virginia Commonwealth University is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its urban and regional planning programs with the launch of a new student scholarship campaign.

“At a time when government support is decreasing, it is wonderful to witness the launch of urban planning's scholarship fund in connection with the 40th anniversary,” said Niraj Verma, Ph.D., director and professor in the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs in the College of Humanities and Sciences. “Giving back to the community comes naturally to the planning profession. By contributing to a scholarship fund these ‘planners with a conscience’ are paving the way for the next generation of professionals to continue this tradition of caring for others.”

VCU’s undergraduate and graduate urban planning programs have trained more than 1,300 planners and completed more than 900 plans for communities throughout Virginia, the nation and abroad.

“To help ensure that our next 40 years are even more productive than our last 40 have been, we're asking for contributions to our student scholarship fund, which will help more students choose to study planning at VCU and contribute to the continuing development of this region,” said John Accordino, Ph.D., professor of planning and a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.

A celebration of the 40th anniversary and the new student scholarship campaign took place at the Virginia Housing Development Authority’s Innsbrook Housing Center today. The event also featured a “Plan Off!!” competition, in which 17 students in VCU's Master of Urban and Regional Planning program presented condensed versions of their work to a panel of professional planners, who selected a grand champion.

Visit https://www.support.vcu.edu/give/planninganniversary/ to donate to the student scholarship fund.