SINCE 1974
We spent the 2024-2025 academic year celebrating the BIG impact that our little program has had on community development in Memphis and beyond – through the research and policy work of faculty members, the community-engaged work of our courses, the inspiration and innovation of our diverse students, and the leadership of our alumni. Click to read the feature in the UofM Magazine.
This page provides information on our program's history and impact through an interactive timeline and story maps.
Support our work by giving to the FIFTY FORWARD FUND:
Explore our Program's History and Impact
Explore our impact through the story map below, or click here to open the map in another tab.
Click below to view an interactive timeline.
50th Anniversary Event Series
Past Events:
Visualizing Memphis' Future: Urban3's Blueprint for Sustainable Growth
AI as Tool to Advance the Work of City Planners and Urban Designers
Lessons in Public Sector Leadership
- John Zeanah, Director of Planning and Development, Memphis-Shelby County
- Jordan Hillman, COO of JXN Water, Jackson, MS
- Ben Requet, Director of Planning, Oxford, MS
- Lauren Kirk, Chief Innovation Officer, Jackson, TN
- Judy Daniel, Former Planning Director for Williamson County, TN; Asheville, NC; and Oxford, MS
Non-traditional Career Paths for Planning and Design Graduates
- Kyle Wagenschutz, founder of City Thread, Denver, CO
- Dr. Nadia Shah, Director of Upbuild Foundation, Chicago, IL
- Shannon Dixon, CEO (sole proprietor) at Shannon MB Dixon Consulting, Memphis, TN
- Katie Flynn Koleini, Deputy Director of Development at Cities for Financial Empowerment, New York, NY
Look inside the program from the perspective of some current students
Thank you to our 50th Anniversary Sponsors
Premier Sponsors
Supporters
