Student Awards
2020 American Planning Association Student Project Awards and APA NorCal Academic Award of Excellence
SJSU Masters of Urban Planning students received two awards for their project Diridon to Downtown: A Community Assessment Report [pdf]. The year-long research and community engagement effort was carried out in the 2018-19
capstone Community Design Studio (URBP 295) led by professors Rick Kos and Jason Su.
2018 CUTC National Student Awards
Master of Urban Planning alumnus William Chapin’s award winning report, Parking Spaces to Living Spaces: Reform and Housing Affordability in Central San Francisco
[pdf], identifies a change in planning field’s attitude toward vehicle parking demands.
Bill’s study takes a close look at the relationship between transportation, housing,
and the demand of the people of central San Francisco, aligning with the Council of
University Transportation Center’s (CUTC) mission.
2017 APA California Poster Contest
MUP Alumni, William Chapin, won the APA poster contest with his work titled "Parking Reform & Housing Affordability: Lessons from San Francisco." [pdf] Congratulations, Bill!
2017 APA California, Northern Section, Academic Award of Excellence, East Santa Clara Urban Village Project
MUP students, faculty, and community members were honored to receive the 2017 Academic
Award of Excellence from APA California, Northern Section for their work on in the
East Santa Clara Urban Village Project in San José.
2016 APA California, Northern Section, Academic Award of Excellence, Greater Washington Voices of the Community / Voces de la Comunidad Report
MUP students, faculty, and community members were honored to receive the 2016 Academic
Award of Merit from APA California, Northern Section for their work on in the Greater
Washington neighborhood in San José.
California Planning Foundation (CPF) Scholarships, 2014
Three MUP students received scholarships and recognition as part of the California Planning Foundation's annual scholarship competition in 2014.
- Kevin Schroeder, CPR Memorial Scholarship
- Thai-Chau Le, CPR Memorial Scholarship
- Jessie Bristow, Ken Milam Scholarship
- Nick Stewart, Northern Section Scholarship
American Planning Association California Chapter Award of Excellence, 2015
Rebecca Walters was awarded the 2015 American Planning Association California Chapter
Award of excellence for her final masters project, titled Walking and Cycling in San Francisco: Identifying Underserved Locations that are Particularly
Receptive to Non-Motorized Transport via the Pedestrian and Bicycling Survey. [pdf]
Council of University Transportation Centers, Neville Parker Award in Policy and Planning, 2015
Rebecca Walters was awarded the 2015 Council of University Transportation Centers' Neville Parker Award in Policy and Planning, an award for the best non-thesis paper in transportation submitted for the M.S. degree in lieu of a thesis, in the areas of policy & planning and science & technology. Her project was titled, Walking and Cycling in San Francisco: Identifying Underserved Locations that are Particularly Receptive to Non-Motorized Transport via the Pedestrian and Bicycling Survey [pdf].
2014 APA California, Northern Section, Academic Award of Merit, Spartan-Keyes Neighborhood Assessment and Community Engagement Report
MUP students in URBP 201/203 were honored to receive the 2014 Academic Award of Merit
from APA California, Northern Section for their work on an analysis of Spartan-Keyes,
a neighborhood in northern San Jose.
Helene M. Overly Memorial Scholarship, Leadership Legacy Graduate Scholarship, Women's Transporation Seminar (WTS), 2013
Lauren Seyda, MUP '14, was awarded the Leadership Legacy Graduate Scholarship and
the Helene M. Overly Memorial Scholarship by the Women's Transportation
Seminar (WTS) in 2013. Leadership Legacy Fund has been established to honor the past, present, and future leaders of WTS by awarding an annual scholarship to female graduate students pursuing a career in transportation. The Helene M. Overly Memorial Scholarship was established in 1981 to encourage women pursuing career paths in transportation.
California Planning Foundation (CPF) Scholarships, 2013
Six MUP students received scholarships and recognition as part of the California Planning Foundation's annual scholarship competition in 2013.
- Maria Javier, Outstanding Student Runner-Up
- Emma Reed, CPR Memorial Scholarship
- Aliza Paz, CPR Memorial Scholarship
- Lauren Seyda, CPF Northern Section Scholarship
- Veronica Flores, Ken Milam Scholarship
- Janice Lam, Honorable Mention
Robert A. Catlin/David W. Long Memorial Scholarship, APA Planning and the Black Community Division, Honorable Mention, 2012
Named after committed planners and long-standing PBCD members, The Robert A. Catlin/David
W. Long Memorial Scholarship is designed to foster an increased interest in the profession
of urban planning among Black students. In 2012, the APA Planning and the Black Community
Division (PBCD) honored Johnasies McGraw as an Honorable Mention winner – the first
time PBCD had ever given the scholarship and an honorable mention.
SJSU Associated Students Environmental Champion Award, 2012
Sara Billing received the "Environmental Champion Award" from SJSU's Associated Students
for her demonstrated leadership and involvement in campus and community life, and
her passion for environmental sustainability and fostering awareness and the education
of her peers on environmental issues.
2012 Northern Section, APA California Best Practices Awards, for “A Parking Utilization Survey of Transit-Oriented Development Residential Properties in Santa Clara County”
This report by students in URBP 256 (Spring 2010) led by their instructor, Eduardo
C. Serafin, PE, and graduate research assistant, Justin Meek, was recognized again
for excellence in planning. In addition to the ITE award (described below), this project
was awarded a Best Practices Award by the Northern Section of APA California.
2011 ITE Parking Council Best Practices Award for “A Parking Utilization Survey of Transit-Oriented Development Residential Properties in Santa Clara County”
Students in our URBP 256 course (Spring 2010) was selected to receive the Institute
of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Parking Council Best Practices Award for 2011. The
student team led by their instructor, Eduardo C. Serafin, PE, AICP, conducted a joint
collaborative research project with the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
(VTA). This competitive, national professional award recognizes the high quality,
leading edge transportation planning research conducted by the student team. The SJSU
research team worked very closely with Mr. Robert W. Swierk, AICP and Ms. Ying C.
Smith, AICP of VTA’s Transportation Planning & Congestion Management division. This
highly successful collaborative research project with VTA exemplifies the Urban and
Regional Planning Department's commitment to engaging faculty and students in public
service projects designed to assist local communities in addressing topical planning
issues, while complementing the academic curriculum with real-world professional experiences.
Dwight David Eisenhower Transporation Graduate Fellowship
Sarah Abel, MUP '11, received a Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship
Program (DDETFP) award during her final year of graduate study (2010-2011). Sarah's
research focused on very low-income residents in San Jose and their attitudes towards
bus transportation.
2010 APA California Chapter Distinguished Leadership Award for a Student Planner
Justin Meek, MUP '10, received a 2010 APA California Chapter Distinguished Leadership
Award for a Student Planner.
2010 CCAPA Academic Award of Excellence, Alviso, California: Community Assessment and Urban Design Analysis
MUP students in URBP-201/203 were honored to receive the 2010 Academic Award from
the Northern California APA section and state-level APA for their work on an analysis
of Alviso, a neighborhood in northern San Jose. The resulting report is titled "Alviso,
California: Community Assessment and Urban Design Analysis." In selecting the students'
work, the nominating committee noted that the students played an extremely important
role as "ambassadors" of good planning throughout their engagement with community
members. Whereas many residents of Alviso tend to be reluctant to engage with city
staff due to language barriers or concerns related to environmental justice, the community
residents were more than pleased to work directly with our students to communicate
their concerns and desires for community betterment. The open and collaborative nature
of the planning process employed by the class went a long way in gaining wide community
acceptance for improved dialog between a variety of interest groups.
Helene M. Overly Memorial Scholarship, Women's Transportation Seminar (WTS)
Adrienne Heim, MUP '11, was awarded the Helene M. Overly Memorial Scholarship by the Women's Transportation Seminar (WTS) in 2010. The Helene M. Overly Memorial Scholarship was established in 1981 to encourage women pursuing career paths in transportation.
