Student Membership

Get involved, start networking, and participate in volunteer and continuing education opportunities. Become an OPPI Student Member!

Student planners are future of the planning profession and OPPI encourages students to apply for OPPI Student Membership.

Student members from accredited planning programs may be eligible to apply for OPPI Scholarships, and become Student Liaison Committee members or the Student Delegate.

Student Liaison Committee

The Student Liaison Committee (SLC) is made up of OPPI Student Members from each of Ontario’s accredited planning programs. This leadership network links planning students to OPPI and represents the interests of planning students across Ontario. Committee members are given exciting opportunities to become involved in OPPI initiatives.

The SLC meets throughout the school year and promotes the value of OPPI student membership. SLC members may be contacted about a wide-range of OPPI activities, as well as school planning societies and associations.

Student Delegate

One student from an accredited planning program becomes the Student Delegate, elected by OPPI student members for a one-year term.

The student representative’s term of office runs from June to June in a given calendar year. The Student Delegate chairs the 13-member Student Liaison Committee (SLC) which serves as a leadership network linking students across the six accredited planning schools to OPPI. The Student Delegate and the SLC promotes student awareness of OPPI and student membership in the institute, and events and programs targeted to students: OPPI's student scholarships, participation in our annual event, the Student Case Competition, and nominations for student representatives and our next Student Delegate.

In addition, OPPI's Student Delegate will have the opportunity to participate in OPPI's Outreach Committee and help organize outreach events for students across the six accredited planning programs about the benefits of OPPI student memberships, becoming an RPP and careers in planning.

2024-2025 OPPI STudent Delegate - TALHA UMAR

Talha is currently in his last year of the Undergraduate Program for Urban and Regional Planning at the Toronto Metropolitan University, pursuing specializations in Housing & Development Planning and Environmental & Ecological Planning with a minor in Geographic Analysis.

During his past work experience, he has worked on files related to development, housing policy, and jurisdictional scans, and he hopes to gain more experience in urban design, land development, and feasibility analysis.
 
He has served on TMU’s Association of Planning Students for two years in the OPPI student representative role and has been involved in other organizations like ULI and MIPOC. Talha believes students have a unique opportunity to interact with planning professionals in diverse spaces and relay the advantages of participating in events for future personal growth. He also believes in setting a precedent when providing support and opportunities for other students, just as past students and mentors have done for him.
 
As the new OPPI Student Delegate, he hopes to coordinate more connections and interactions between students across the various planning spheres in the public and private realms.

Student Delegate Nominations

Nominations for Student Delegate are closed.