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The Pennsylvania Governor’s Awards for Local Government Excellence honored public officials at an April 2025 ceremony at the Pennsylvania State Museum in Harrisburg, which included multiple authorities with graduates from the IUP Planning program in leadership positions. Professional planners who graduated from the IUP Planning program are employed in agencies throughout the country, but especially in communities and counties in Pennsylvania.

The Indiana County Office of Planning and Development won a Governor’s Award for its Indiana County Decathlon Health and Wellness initiative led by IUP graduate Josh Krug and Upstreet landscape architect Barbara Hague, assisted by IUP Geography professor Kevin Patrick.

The Westmoreland County Department of Planning and Development won an award for their Alle-Kiski Blight Inventory Project, led by IUP graduate Joshua Spano, assisted by IUP graduate Nate Clair, and supported by the Redevelopment Authority of Westmoreland County, led by IUP graduate Brian Lawrence and assisted by IUP graduate Chad McLaren.

Crawford County Planning director and IUP Planning program graduate Zachary Norwood won a Career Recognition Award nominated by the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Planning Association.

Indiana Borough Walking Decathalon Team Award
Above, from left: Representatives from the Indiana County Tourist Bureau (Laura Herrington), Indiana County Aging Services, Indiana County Commissioners (Sharene Hess), IUP Geography program (Kevin Patrick), Upstreet Architects (Barbara Hague), Indiana County Planning Department (Josh Krug), and Indiana YMCA received a Governor’s Award for their work on the annual Indiana County Decathlon series of hikes and interpretive walks. Recipients were invited into 62nd District Representative Jim Struzzi’s Office in the Capitol after the ceremony at the State Museum.
Image of multiple IUP Alumni at awards ceremony
Graduates from IUP’s Planning program who now hold professional leadership roles are celebrated at the Governor’s Awards for Local Government Excellence in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Above, from left: Brian Lawrence, Molly Sarver, Nate Clair, Josh Spano.
IUP Alum Zachary Norwood on stage receiving award
IUP Planning program graduate and Crawford County Planning director Zach Norwood receives a Career Recognition Governor’s Award for Local Government Excellence at a State Museum ceremony in Harrisburg.