2020 Scholarship and Award Recipients
The Community and Regional Planning program is proudly announcing that five Planning students received various scholarships and awards.
Love Ott, a Junior student, received the 2020 Urban Planning Alumni Scholarship ($2,000). She completed an internship in the Town of Hertford in 2019, right after finishing her freshman year. She has been actively involved in the Student Planner’s Action Network actions and has special interests in environmental planning.
James Carter, a rising Senior student, received the SM Hankins Scholarship ($600) towards his tuition in Fall 2020. While working as a resident advisor and serving as UNC-Charlotte S.T.E.M. Summer Camp Coordinator, he has learned what strong leadership is and the value of good citizenship. He plans to finish his internship this summer for the Summer Transportation Internship Program for Diverse Groups (S.T.I.P.D.G.).
Laney Rivera, a rising Senior student, was named one of three 2020 Berry Williams Scholarship recipients from N.C. Association of Floodplain Managers (N.C.A.F.P.M.). The N.C.A.F.P.M. awards were given for students’ academic achievements, professional and personal activities, honors, and interests in floodplain management.
Planning faculty nominated Spencer Crawford for the American Planning Association (APA) Outstanding Student Award. Graduated in May 2020 with a G.I.S. certificate, Spencer showed strong academic and professional promise. He was one of E.C.U.’s 2019 Public Service Fellowship recipients. With the P.S.F. support, Spencer worked for the Association of Mexicans in North Carolina (a non-profit organization in eastern N.C.) as a grant writer, E.S.L. coordinator, and leading volunteer activities for the underserved population. During his senior year, he worked as an undergraduate research assistant for Dr. Mi Hwa Lee, School of Social Work, E.C.U., as a G.I.S. specialist. With this role, he also received an Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (U.R.C.A.) Award. He completed his practicum project, “The integrated transportation network plan for Greenville, NC.”
Planning faculty proudly nominated Savannah Newbern and Heather Mosesso for the American Planning Association-North Carolina (APA-NC) Chapter Outstanding Student Award. Both graduated in May 2020 with Magna Cum Laude.
As a mother of two young children, Savannah Newbern showed what an undaunted pirate could accomplish. She was a recipient of the 2018 APA-NC Summer Fellowship and the 2019 N.C.A.F.P.M. Scholarship. Since her senior year, Savannah has worked for the Town of Duck as an intern, which led her to study “Living Shoreline Study: A Natural Solution for the Town of Duck, NC” for her practicum project. The grown-up in Currituck County, NC, understands the importance of a good floodplain management plan and how it directly affects the vulnerable coastal communities. She genuinely loves the environment and believes in the power of community actions.
Heather Mosesso, is another proud graduate of the Planning program. Heather served as the secretary of the SPAN in her senior year with great leadership. Together with a Junior planning student (Brady Golden), she also finished undergraduate research about the E.C.U. Student Center’s post-occupancy evaluation. Their study was presented at the 2019 Annual State of North Carolina Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium (S.N.C.U.R.C.S.) and received the E.C.U. Undergraduate Mini Research Award. While pursuing her degree, she completed two internships: with the Village of Simpson, NC, and with the Pamlico Rowing Club Taproom as an E.C.U.’s RISE-29 program. Working closely with Town Clerk and Mayer, she conveyed a housing inventory in Simpson and also initiated the Bookmobile to help members of the community with limited access and mobility. Her work with the Pamlico Rowing Club Taproom brought her another opportunity as an aspiring planner. By looking at the rural economic prosperity through innovation and entrepreneurship, she developed a feasibility plan for an upcoming taproom in Washington, NC, which made her be exposed to economic development and grant writing opportunities. Her practicum research about “Five Point Plaza Development” is the finale of her knowledge in the subject!