The UF Student Planning Association: Empowering the Next Generation of Planners

At the University of Florida’s Department of Urban and Regional Planning, education extends far beyond the confines of a classroom. From immersive study abroad experiences that enable students to make a difference across the globe, to nationwide conferences that allow for networking and collaboration with industry leaders, UF URP is dedicated to empowering students with the skills and knowledge to break new ground and succeed in the ever-changing landscape of urban planning.

To truly give students a cutting edge upon graduation from the program, it’s critical to allow them to work with each other and gain leadership experience to expand their skill sets and gain new perspectives on planning needs within communities and across the globe. To accomplish these goals, the department created the UF Student Planning Association (SPA) to help students connect with faculty and build a strong network to help propel them into their future careers.

Dating back to the 1990’s, this student-run organization has helped countless students gain real-world planning knowledge through field trips, events, and networking opportunities. Throughout the years, the club has grown its offerings to students, and in 2023, then President Yesenia Castaneda and her peers worked to revive the club’s wavering attendance..

“Basically, our goal when we started in May 2023 was to revive the club, said Castaneda, “The last presidents, Sam Braverman and Camisha Alexis, who ran the club before us, did so well in providing a foundation for SPA to thrive. They had such great events, ideas, and connections.”

For Castaneda and her peers, making sure students were comfortable and confident was a top priority.

“When Madison, Jenna, Silas, Jacob, and I got together for the first time, we really focused on making the club successful in terms of attendance. We did this by trying to meet the new students as soon as possible so they knew about SPA and how this was the avenue for MURP students to socialize and gain connections with professionals. Silas had the amazing idea of reaching out to these students, especially the international students, to welcome them to UF, provide tips about moving to Gainesville, and explain what the courses are like. This allowed new students to recognize us on the first day and allowed them to feel more comfortable around us since we had already done introductions.”

Castaneda said SPA provided her with valuable leadership experience, alongside lifelong connections with her peers and a vast network of professional contacts. It also gave her the confidence to be a strong leader in the planning field.

“The skills I gained from leading a group and representing MURP students at UF was priceless,” said Castaneda. “Since SPA, I have definitely gained confidence in myself in terms of producing and presenting work. I think a lot of students can relate to that too. When you are involved with SPA and regularly socialize with your classmates at events, you are more likely to feel comfortable presenting in a class that is literally filled with your friends that you have made. Since we had so much exposure to planners and the advisory council, I think it also helped students feel more comfortable to talk to professionals. Playing planning related games with the advisory council allowed both students and council members to feel more comfortable conversing with each other and allowed students to ask more questions and get advice.”

For MURP student and SPA social chair Emory Young, the organization allowed him to find a close group of friends and develop new skills.

“First and foremost, SPA helped me connect with my fellow grad students and created an environment to meet people and develop friendships,” said Young.

“As the organization’s social media manager, I was tasked with creating graphics, posting on social media, managing public accounts, and coordinating with guest speakers, faculty and staff, and other E-Board members, which ultimately grew many of my personal and professional skills. The numerous academic and professional events that SPA hosted or co-opted encouraged me to be more involved on campus and really take the time to learn about the industry I was entering. Our guest speaker series brought in dedicated, passionate, and interesting people to share their work and their story, and our involvement with selecting a new assistant professor gave me unique insight into the academic side of planning. Our work advocating for RTS, making buttons and shirts, and promoting the planning program also helped cement the presence of SPA and URP across the UF campus landscape.”

One of the goals of SPA’s current leadership team was to increase engagement with online students. While online MURP students live all across the country, they still want to benefit from the resources that the department offers. To ensure these online students were able to participate in the club’s activities, Matthew Mullings, SPA’s current Vice President, ensured that the majority of speaker events were virtual, so that online students could join in on the conversation, ask questions, and interact with their peers.

“This year one of SPA’s biggest priorities was expanding our reach, which we focused on in two ways,” said Mullings. “The first was to achieve greater engagement with our online students. To do this, we moved the majority of our guest speakers this year to online formats to accommodate online students as well as students in other programs who have an interest in urban planning. The second method was via our branding. We launched SPA buttons in early spring 2025 and will be launching our first batch of SPA t-shirts in many years at the end of spring 2025.”

The UF Student Planning Association has helped countless students gain confidence in their career path, learn lifelong planning skills, build a strong network of connections, and find friendships that will last a lifetime.

As he graduates this spring, Matthew Mullings sends a message to the next generation of SPA members.

“Each year, SPA continues to grow and improve as it builds on the amazing work of previous student leaders,” said Mullings. “I look forward to seeing this great work carried out by the next group of leaders, which I know is made up of some outstanding students. I really believe that by looking at SPA, you can see the passion of the next generation of urban planners and their drive to create positive change in our communities.”

Learn more about the UF Student Planning Association.

Meet the incoming 2025-2026 SPA Executive Board!