Members of the ISU Community and Regional Planning Club headed to the bayou of New Orleans for their spring break this year.

“New Orleans 2001: A Planning Odyssey,” was sponsored by the National American Planning Association and is held every year in a different location, said Chris Janson, senior in community and regional planning and club member.

“For students, we don’t know exactly what to expect when we graduate,” he said. “It’s a chance to get a foot in the door.”

While Janson was unable to attend the conference, 11 other members made the hike to Louisiana.

Michelle Pezley, senior in community and regional planning, said she plans to keep contacts this time, as she did not keep her networking contacts when she attended the conference in Seattle two years ago.

Chad Weaver, graduate student in community and regional planning, also hoped to enhance his network of contacts, especially departmental heads.

The conference is not designed just for students, Weaver said, and he liked how it was organized.

“It’s a professional conference that a lot of students attend,” he said. “You’re really on your own a lot. You can choose the events and speakers that you want to go to.”

Jon Sevald, co-president of the CRP Club and senior in community and regional planning, said it was good to see what was going on outside of Iowa in planning and to network with people.

“I met a couple planners from Orlando. I applied for a job with them,” he said. “I found out I knew a lot more than I thought I did.”

In addition to the conference, Pezley said tours of New Orleans were given to show participants a variety of planning designs.

“They showed us a grand entrance of a town,” she said. “That showed me how important entrances can be.”

The location of the event also added to the trip’s success, Sevald said.

“New Orleans was a learning lab in itself,” he said. “I did get to try alligator meat. It was pretty good.”