Jackson State University’s Associate Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, Dr. Talya Thomas, has been selected to join the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) governing board. Thomas will represent minority-serving full-member schools.
“The Department of Urban & Regional Planning extends heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Talya Thomas on her election as the Representative of Minority Serving Full Member Schools to the ACSP Governing Board,” said Dr. Berneece Herbert, chair of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning. “We look forward to her valuable contributions and leadership in shaping the future of the Department and the ACSP.”
The Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) is a consortium of more than 100 university departments and programs offering planning degrees and programs affiliated with planning. ACSP connects educators, researchers, and students to advance knowledge about planning education and research.
“I will ensure that the needs of Minority Serving Institutions are being met through ACSP. As a product of Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) and currently employed at one, I know the importance and value of being an advocate for equity in planning,” Thomas stated.
Thomas’s journey with ACSP began almost two decades ago as a student and has continued as a faculty member at JSU. Her active involvement in the association, including serving on the Ed Blakely Awards Committee and participating in the Pre-Doctoral Workshop, Junior Faculty of Color Workshop, and the mentoring program, emphasizes her long-standing commitment to ACSP.
“The Governing Board makes important decisions for the Association,” said Rayman Mohammed, president of the ACSP. “This includes approving strategic initiatives and making decisions about the direction of growth. Dr. Thomas brings an important perspective to this , and we expect that she will be a valuable member of the Board.”
With over 15 years of teaching experience in public administration, planning, and policy, Thomas currently teaches History of Planning, Politics of Planning in Local Government, Planning in Local Government, and Historic Preservation. She has a passion for policy and planning and is actively involved in various organizations that promote equalization of homeownership among African Americans, as well as promoting food security.
Thomas is a member of the Planners of Color Interest Group and Faculty Women’s Interest Group. She is also a member of the American Society for Public Administrators, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and more.
Thomas received her Bachelor of Arts in psychology with a minor in Business Administration and her Master’s Degree in public administration with a concentration in community and economic development from Clark Atlanta University, in Atlanta. She furthered her academic journey by obtaining a doctoral degree in urban planning and environmental policy with a concentration in community development and housing from Texas Southern University, in Houston.