The Georgia Planning Association (GPA) is hosting the inaugural Southeast Student Planning Conference, to take place in conjunction with GPA's annual meeting this September in Columbus.  Working with Georgia Tech's School of City and Regional Planning, GPA has extended invitations to students at PAB-accredited planning schools in the Southeastern states to present papers in sessions designed to showcase planning student research to other students and to planning professionals. In addition to giving students feedback on their work, the conference will allow students to exchange perspectives and network with each other and planning professionals. Students from nine institutions have submitted paper proposals: Auburn University, Clemson University, Florida State University, Georgia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Tech, University of Florida, University of Georgia, and University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

Professional presentations on student papers, studio work and other projects will run concurrently to the existing conference format. These sessions can be attended by other students as well as professionals seeking insight from graduate students and/or to recruit them. This is the innaugural years, and it is hoped it will grow and rotate to other state APA conferences in the Southeast region in the future.