Gift from Dr. Geisel will support CAPPA partn

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Image Credit: UT Arlington

Professor Emeritus Paul Geisel donated $ 600,000 to support the University of Texas College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs (CAPPA) at Arlington. The gift allows the college to accelerate its collaboration with Texas community leaders, disseminate best practices for solving complex governance problems, and engage with less resilient communities through in-depth research, data and policy analysis to address a variety of challenges.

Geisel, who spent 35 years with CAPPA before retiring in 2004, said he wanted to inherit from his longstanding experience in the field.

“I’ve donated generously to the university over the years and I feel immensely from the work of UTA,” said Geisel. “As an urban sociologist, I have a keen interest in applied social sciences, and I felt that this was the moment to do something remarkable that builds on the college’s mission to engage local communities in solving the problems that defined them . The last year has been a challenge and I wanted to do what I could to empower others to make a difference. “

Geisel began his work at the university in 1970. He was instrumental in setting up the academic program of the Institute for Urban Studies, which later became the School of Urban and Public Affairs and is now part of the CAPPA. As he helped attract students to the new school, he became a familiar face on countless community forums and regional conferences as a dedicated authority in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The gift was the result of talks between CAPPA interim dean Maria Martinez-Cosio and Geisel. The two have had a longstanding relationship; she was recruited to UTA when he retired in 2004. Drs. Geisel and Cosio also share a common focus on applied research and equity issues in the built environment. Both recognize the role of the Dallas-Fort Worth area as a learning laboratory and extended classroom that can promote service leadership among students.

Geisel previously set up two endowment funds to support CAPPA students. In recognition of this commitment, the auditorium in the CAPPA building is named Dr. Paul Geisel Auditorium.

“Paul’s generosity is widely recognized and I am humble at his continued trust in our work, built on the foundation he and others provided as we continue to serve our region,” said Cosio.

The gift will help CAPPA faculties and students work with community leaders in the Dallas-Fort Worth area to address shared challenges that cross borders, from housing for a growing workforce, to managing growth, increasing homelessness, and the need for a living Coping with infrastructure needs.

“CAPPA has recognized expertise in rural, suburban and urban issues,” said Trey Yelverton (’88), Arlington City Manager. Use plans to provide recommendations for affordable housing development. What excites me most is the good that can come from such a gift, as it not only helps our entire region, but also enables students to learn more deeply in practice. ”

  • Written by Onome Aganbi, School of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs

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