This project is to help fund student travel to Minneapolis, Minnesota, as part of the new course for spring of 2024, Exploring the American City: Sustainable Planning, taught by Bill Fiander, lecturer, public administration.
The class explores sustainable and equitable planning practices by diving into three of the most pressing challenges facing the American city: affordable housing, environmental justice/climate disruption and transportation choices. Vignettes for each issue will be studied from the perspective of an American city and how they are planning for and mitigating impacts to make their city more sustainable and equitable.
The highlight of students' activities will be attending the National Planning Conference in Minneapolis from April 12-15, 2024, where they will engage in thought-provoking discussions, collaborative workshops and interactive sessions while learning about best practices of other American cities.
The course will provide similar educational values to a study abroad except the study will be done stateside. In particular, it will integrate experiential learning principles by:
- Gaining deeper knowledge on three topics within traditional classroom instruction, reading and video materials
- Engaging in a learning experience and activity about those topics outside the classroom in a real-world setting either in Topeka, Minneapolis or as presented by another city at the conference
- Sharing reflections, critical thought and synthesis about the experience
- Applying the expanded knowledge and skill base to advocate for a particular change in American cities to make them more sustainable and equitable for the future.
Your gift to help political science students travel to Minnesota should be made to the Political Science Travel Fund.
