3/28/06 Contact: Robert Grant, 334/844-4523 (grantrs@auburn.edu)
David M. Granger, 334/844-9999 (grangdm@auburn.edu)

AU COMMUNITY PLANNING WINS TWO AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION AWARDS

AUBURN - Sharon Gaber, associate dean of Auburn University’s College of Architecture, Design and Construction, and an AU Community Planning student group each won awards in honor of their service from the Alabama Chapter of the American Planning Association (ALAPA), ALAPA announced this week.

Gaber, who has served as Associate Dean of the College of Architecture, Design & Construction since fall 2002, was awarded the 2006 Distinguished Leadership Award for a Professional Planner.

“Sharon Gaber has provided effective leadership which has transformed our small graduate planning program into a nationally recognized accredited degree program which is attracting outstanding students from across the United States and internationally,” said Dan Bennett, dean of the College of Architecture, Design and Construction. “The Professional Leadership Award is a significant national accomplishment, both for our student recipients, and Dr. Gaber, and is a strong indication of their role in national planning education.”

Gaber has published 17 refereed journal articles focusing on planning research methods and has been instrumental in helping the Community Planning program grow from three students in 2002 to more than 40 currently.

The ALAPA also named AU’s Community Planning student team the winner of the Distinguished Leadership Award for a Student Team for 2006.

The group, which consisted of 22 students, won for their work on the “Macon County Preliminary Comprehensive Plan,” which provided local officials with the first comprehensive planning effort for all of Macon County which will serve as a guide for future development.

The students in the group are Isaac Eliason; Jonathan Langley; Wanona Satcher; Ashley Settles; Stephanie Ward; Jaydeep Chaudhari; Allison Settles; Charles Shipp; Emily Singleton; Akosua Cook; Mike Gibson; Jack Mazzola; Manan Pathak; David Phillips; Michael Barnett; Candy Masters; Galen Newman; Dan Tansey; Bob Evans; Ron McCurry; Maya Solomon; and Nicole Spivey.

The awards will be presented May 18, at the ALAPA Annual Meeting in Florence, Ala.

Auburn University is a comprehensive research institution with more than 23,000 students and 6,500 faculty and staff. Ranked among the top 50 public universities nationally, Auburn is Alabama's largest educational institution, offering more than 230 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs.

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