Planners' Night Out!

Saturday Peer Education Seminars – Fall 2009

SPO is organizing the first semester of Saturday educational seminars. This is a great way to learn from students in the department who have knowledge in certain areas relating to your planning education and professional development from previous work experience or internships, in addition to coursework.

We will try to hold this meeting every other week, depending on the availability of session leaders and things like mid-terms or Fall Break. Unless otherwise noted, meetings will be held in Room 19 TBH at 11 a.m.

On September 19, 2009, Crystal Whiters (MUP/M.ARCH student) led a workshop on the construction loan application process. In this seminar, she discussed how to you apply for a construction loan for a development project; what a lender looks for in a loan application; and who is on a development team. She also shared some of her knowledge on historic tax credits.

Upcoming seminars:10/3/09: TBA 10/17/09: TBA

Since this is our first try to peer-teaching program, I want to point out a few things:

• We need to set objectives of the meeting on our own and jointly decide how the learning will take place. Discussion is an important component of this style.
• We need to respect what they (the volunteer) know and what they don't know.
• We need your participation! (Please recommend any good candidate for the seminar.)

Please let us know if you are willing to lead a session, or if you'd like to recommend someone who know has some skills to share, contact Rosa Lee, SPO Education Chair, at lee442@illinois.edu.

Planning Career Panel

We plan to hold our second annual career panel in November. Be sure to check this site and the listserv often as more details will become available as November approaches.

October is National Community Planning Month

What are you doing to celebrate? What should SPO do? Even though the Career Panel will be held in November, it is intended as our belated celebration of National Community Planning Month. Forward your ideas to your friendly SPO board members to offer additional ideas to celebrate during the month of October.

9/24 - 9/26: 2009 APA Upper Midwest Conference, Chicago

As of Friday, September 19, 27 DURP students registered for the conference. Orange and Blue will be out in force on the streets of Chicago! Be sure to make the most of this educational and networking opportunity.

Rust Belt Road Trip

This summer, several MUPs took a Rust Belt Road Trip. They chronicled their experiences in a blog. Click here to read about their experiences.