Welcome new students and welcome back returning students! For those of you who are new to the program, FAPS is the Florida Atlantic Planning Society- DURP’s student organization. Our goal is to provide students with the necessary resources to gain professional planning knowledge and contacts before you graduate. Here’s some information about what FAPS does and all the exciting events that the board has been gearing up for this summer:

Saturday, September 1st kicks off (no pun intended) the new school year with a tailgate party at the FAU vs. Middle Tennessee game at Lockhart Stadium. This will be a fun-filled afternoon of burgers and drinks, meeting new friends, and catching up with old ones. This event is being thrown for us by our wonderful alumnae, so be sure to stop by and show some owl pride!

The Wednesday Lecture Series is a tradition that continues this year, starting off on September 19th with a lecture on property tax reform by Broward County Commissioner Kristin Jacobs. The monthly series is sponsored by the Broward section of the American Planning Association, and presents distinguished local and national leaders who speak on hot topics in planning.

In addition, FAPS sponsors the annual Career Day that is specifically geared to you, the planning student. Planning professionals and alumnae from a broad spectrum of specializations share with students about what it has been like to work in the field. These professionals will be available to review resumés, answer questions, and even offer jobs and internships.

A great way to reconnect and help the environment is through our Waterway Cleanups. Every month, FAPS and friends get together with the Wildlife Research Team and Broward Urban River Trails to canoe and pick up trash along the New River. Afterwards, we all hang out and have a great barbeque picnic. 

Lastly, there are many great conferences throughout the year, which students are encouraged to attend. Don’t forget- the annual FAPA (Florida chapter of the American Planning Association) Conference is right around the corner (in Orlando, September 5-8)! The conference is an excellent way to interact with planning students and practitioners from around the state, job hunt, and exchange ideas. Attendance is strongly encouraged, and no, it’s not too late to go! Please let FAPS know if you plan on attending.

If you need any information or have questions regarding these events, please see the flyers, www.fau.edu/durp/faps/, or contact me at ksheffi1@fau.edu. I wish everyone the best of luck with the new school year and hope to see you at FAPS events!

Sincerely,

Kate Sheffield
President, Florida Atlantic Planning Society ‘07-‘08

FAPS Mission Statement:

We are committed to promoting excellence in planning education, training and practice; to fostering the appreciation of issues that are contained within the planning profession and related disciplines; and to organizing urban and regional planning students to combine their efforts to advance the art and science of urban planning.