Danielle Sipp
Ball State University student, Danielle Sipp—a sophomore majoring in Urban Planning and Development—is one of only ten students across the nation to be awarded the American Planning Association Foundation (APA) Diversity Scholarship.
The $5,000 scholarship is granted annually to eligible candidates who belong to different underrepresented groups, including women, people of color or indigenous descent, veterans, disabled individuals, and members of the LGBTQ+ community, and aims to promote diversity in the field of urban planning.
After Ms. Sipp obtains her Bachelor of Science degree in Urban Planning and Development, she plans to continue her education in law, specializing in planning law.
“I wholeheartedly want to thank the APA Foundation for this award and experience,” said Ms. Sipp. “I hope to use the knowledge I’ve gained—and continue to gain— to empower grassroots organizations, stimulate community development, and aid the disenfranchised in improving the systems that had previously ignored them.
“I want to show the young, low-income Black girl from Gary, Indiana that she, too, can create change, even with the obstacle-ridden path she’s been given. With the support of the APA Foundation, I hope to make a positive contribution towards achieving this goal.”
