2006 Walter Barnard Hill Award
for Distinguished Achievement
in University Public Service & Outreach

Pratt W. Cassity Jr.

Pratt W. Cassity Jr., director of the Center for Community Design, Planning and Preservation in the College of Environment and Design, is a nationally respected expert in historic preservation and community planning. He also is known for the student-learning opportunities he develops that combine civic mindedness with real work experience in Georgia or abroad. Over the years, Cassity has mentored hundreds of students through project grants and design service-learning studios.

Called “charrettes,” the service-learning studios are collaborative efforts where citizens express their vision for their communities and students translate those dreams into plans. These studios combine real work experience and civic engagement with high quality design services that small communities that otherwise could not afford.

Since 1998, Cassity has led charrettes in more than 45 Georgia communities including small towns in Georgia such as Plains, Metter, and Tybee Island; and large cities such as Columbus and Atlanta. Charrettes are often starting points for community change. For example, a charrette in Suwanee, Ga., led that city to adopt smart growth concepts and one in Madison, Ga., led to passage of historic preservation ordinances. Georgia communities where charrettes were done have received grants or other funds to implement recommendations.

Cassity has extended service-learning studio opportunities to the international arena, offering summer classes in Croatia during 2002 and in Ghana in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

Cassity served the leadership role for organizing the state’s historic preservation commissions and creating the Georgia Alliance of Preservation Commissions. He has coordinated the Georgia Alliance since its inception in 1983 when there were 20 local commissions; today there are 114.

He also turned around the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions, which was losing membership. Under his leadership, the National Alliance became a national leader in training for local government preservation programs. He is a partner with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, serving in various leadership roles.

He is highly regarded as a national speaker on design-related issues. He gives two or three invited speaking or training engagements per month and worked in all but five states.