Welcome New Spring 2010 MUPPs!

Fellow MUPPs,

Please join me in welcoming the new cohort of Spring 2010 MUPP students as they begin the next exciting phase of their lives. We're glad you're here!

To our new colleagues: you are now part of an awesome community of engaged scholars and intelligent professionals, and you have joined the largest, strongest Planning network in the country. Please take full advantage of the resources and opportunities that are being made available to you.

To aid in your last-minute preparations for classes, I offer a brief to-do list:

• Double-check your schedule in the self-service application, find your classes, and make sure your finances are in order
• Log in to Blackboard, make sure the courses you've registered for show up under "My Courses"
• Browse around each course's Blackboard site and check for a syllabus - particularly check whether or not there is a reading assignment due before the first class
• While you're at it, get a good planner/organizer or invest in a good calendar app for your phone ...trust me on this one
• Become a fan of UPPSA on Facebook and befriend all of your UPPSA Board members (see names below). Also follow UPPSA on Twitter and join our LinkedIn group!
  

Phew! After you've completed these activities, you'll be as ready as you'll ever be.

Please also keep your eyes peeled for your UPPSA Board members:

Sara Amaral: First Year Representative and News Team Member
Jennessa Berg: Secretary
Katie Bowman: Vice-President
Valbona Kokoshi: APA Representative
Jason Saavedra: President
Mike Sobczak: Treasurer and Chief Activities Officer
Andy Waggoner: Professional Development Officer

Please also welcome two of our newest Board Affiliates:
Anjali Alva: Book Exchange Manager
Sarah Jane Sherburn: News Team Member
Noah Gordon: News Team Contributor

Look for them in class and don't be shy - just introduce yourself! Soon we will have photos and bios up online so you can get to know us better.

I will be there during your rescheduled orientation along with some other UPPSA Board members, and we look forward to meeting you then. Here's to a successful semester!

Regards,

Jason Saavedra
Candidate, Master of Urban Planning and Policy
President, Urban Planning and Policy Student Association
University of Illinois at Chicago