FLiP 2024 students explored planning as a potential career option

During the week of May 28, Plan Hillsborough hosted around 30 local high school students who participated in the Future Leaders in Planning (FLiP) student leadership development program. This year’s program was a great success and provided many opportunities for the students to explore urban planning as a potential career.

We extend our gratitude to all our amazing partners and contributors who helped make FLIP possible – Hillsborough County Public Schools, ULI Tampa Bay, Sun Coast Section of APA Florida, Pritchett Steinbeck Group, TECO, and Urban Planning Innovations – who donated resources, time, and/or subject matter expertise. We are also grateful to our transportation partners, Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation, Hillsborough County Public Schools, and the TECO Streetcar for facilitating site visits.

Students were provided multiple opportunities to network with professionals in various planning fields and then experienced being planners themselves. Over the course of the week, they were able to work on two high profile projects. They first did community planning along the Fowler Avenue Vision Study area and then developed proposals for the Museum of Science and Industry’s site.

Day 1 | Plan Hillsborough & Planning Commission introduction with Executive Director Melissa Zornitta, FAICP | Walking tour of USF Tampa Campus highlighting USF’s award-winning Master Plan with the Campus Planning team | USF Library Special Collections Tour with Sydney Jordan, MLIS, Coordinator, Library Operations | Lunch at CUTR provided by Aramark | Educational Pathways to a career in Urban Planning with USF MURP Program Director and former Planning Commissioner Dr. Evangeline Linkous, AICP and Center for Urban Transportation Research Tia Boyd | WalkBikeDrive Tampa Bay presentation with CUTR’s Brentin Mosher

Day 2 | Hillsborough Transportation Planning Organization introduction with Executive Director Johnny Wong and Assistant Executive Director Gena Torres | Tour of Plan Hillsborough Offices and Planning Commission Chambers | Tampa Downtown Partnership Presentation with Commissioner Karen Kress, AICP, LCI, Director of Transportation and Planning followed by Walking Tour of Franklin Street | Eddie and Sam’s Pizza Lunch at Curtis Hixon Park | Streetcar tour through Water Street and Channelside | Boat tour of Port Tampa Bay with Karl Strauch, Port Vice President of Marketing | Tour of Board of County Commissioners with Commissioner Pat Kemp, District 6 – Countywide

Day 3 | Program Intro by Michelle Orton, General Manager, Hillsborough County Public Schools | Brunch at Fred’s Market in Plant City | Introduction to planning for rapidly growing Plant City with planners Robyn Baker, AICP, Planning & Zoning Coordinator and Director of Planning & Zoning, Julie Ham Plant City City Hall | Private tour of the historic Bing Boarding House African American Museum with Bing family descendant Janelle Johnson | Visit to UF IFAS Extension Offices with garden tour and Homegrown Hillsborough program presentation

Day 4 | Tampa International Airport tour and behind-the-scenes tours of the airfield, the Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting Facility, and the Airport Police Department | Taco Bar provided by Corner Café | Project Work with Real Building Consultants and TPO Planner, Wally Gallart | Project Presentations

Family and friends gathered to celebrate the students’ final presentations. The FLIP program ended with the awarding of certificates and closing remarks from our Executive Director, Melissa Zornitta, and our HCCCPC Chair, Nigel M. Joseph.

A big shout-out to our incredible students! FLIP 2024 is done, but your journey as urban planning advocates has just begun.