Adrian Ponichtera (MCRP ’26) is the recipient of the New Jersey County Planners Association’s George Ververides Honorary Scholarship. The scholarship is open to New Jersey residents entering their third or fourth year of undergraduate study or advanced degrees at a New Jersey institution of higher learning, with a major in City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning, or a planning-related field with a plan to pursue professional planning as a career.
Adrian is a second-year master’s student in City and Regional Planning at the Bloustein School. He is interested in how transportation intersects with the environment and the urban form. During his studies he has had the opportunity to work for a variety of organizations including the New Jersey Climate Change Resource Center, New Jersey Transit, New York City Department of City Planning, and the Urban Enterprise Zone Authority at the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. Upon graduation, he hopes to work at the intersection of transportation, housing, and urban design. Adrian also holds a BA in Environmental Design, Policy, and Planning from Stony Brook University.
“The Ververides Scholarship speaks to Adrian’s growing leadership as a planner and dedication to bettering communities,” said professor Carmelo Ignaccolo, who supported Adrian’s application. “This recognition from the NJCPA exemplifies how our Bloustein students pair technical excellence in planning and design with a real commitment to community impact.”
To honor Mr. Ververides’ contributions and the indelible impression he made on the planning profession, the Association created this scholarship in 2021 to assist future Professional Planners in pursuing their ambitions to advance the field of professional planning. Having spent most of his life in service to his community, the State of New Jersey and the planning profession, Mr. Ververides was one of the the Association’s most active and celebrated members. He worked for the Middlesex County Office of Planning for 59 years, having attained a bachelor’s degree in Geography from Rutgers and a master’s degree in Regional Planning from Cornell. He is a professional planner in the State of NJ, a member of the American Planning Association, the American Institute of Certified Planners, and the Association of American Geographers. During his tenure at Middlesex County, he served on many regional boards and commissions and was, at one time, an adjunct professor at Rutgers.
Adrian will be honored at the next meeting of the New Jersey County Planners Association on Friday, December 5.