In recognition of her outstanding academic work, internships, and voluntary service, Urban and Regional Planning presented the annual American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) Outstanding Student Award to graduating Planning student Caroline Brigham on May 3, 2011. Caroline stood out among her peers with her excellent academic performance and her contributions to our School, to the planning profession and to the community.

Caroline has very strong foundations in community development, land use law and environmental planning, and has used her strengths to contribute to various planning and policy analyses. While enrolled in our Program, Caroline worked as a Research Assistant for the Iowa Policy Project with Dr. David Osterberg on Individual Development Accounts for the Iowa Credit Union Foundation. As an intern for the City of Albert Lea, Minnesota, she produced a sign ordinance that is currently undergoing public review. She also completed an analysis of participation in gardening programs for their Community Development Department. Through our Field Problems capstone project, Caroline provided outstanding contributions to the sustainability initiative of the City of Decorah, Iowa.

While in the Program, she organized the first Jane’s Walk for incoming students’ orientation, organized fund raisers to support students’ travel to planning conferences, helped organize the School-wide study trip to Chicago, organized food drives for the local shelter and engaged the Urban and Regional Planning Student Association in collaboration with the local Bike to Work Week. She also served as student representative on the University of Iowa Campus Planning Committee, contributing directly to the University of Iowa’s long term post-flood reconstruction efforts.

Caroline additionally helped organize two popular School events—the pie contest and the homemade cookie contest. Due to her affinity for these types of activities, we chose to recognize her achievement of the AICP Outstanding Student Award by serving pies at our celebration.