The Congress for the New Urbanism selected the 2024 Master of Science in Historic Preservation cohort's project, "Back to Better: An Urban Conservation and Regeneration Plan for South Bend's Near Northwest Neighborhood," to win under the category of Student Merit Award in the Neighborhood, District, and Corridor at the 2024 CNU Charter Awards.
During the spring semester of 2023 the cohort conducted a project focused on the conservation of physical fabric, spatial patterns, and character, with guidance from Adjunct Assistant Professor of the Practice, Nick Rolinski. The course description highlights the goals of the studio, stating “the focus will be on traditional urban neighborhoods and their preservation in terms of physical fabric as well as with respect to social, economic, political, and cultural resilience and sustainability. The close interaction between architecture, urbanism, and historic preservation will be explored through student design proposals.”