More about J.D.
What is your current job and how did your planning degree prepare you for it?
I am a Planner II (soon to be Planner III) for the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission. In this position working at Champaign-Urbana’s metropolitan planning agency, I have been able to serve as almost a public-sector consultant – staying rooted in a particular place, while getting to work on projects like corridor studies, regional plans, and grant management that are beyond the capacity of individual local governments. My time in the MUP program at the U. of I. allowed me to build the data analysis, communication, and public outreach skills that I have needed for this job, while also introducing me to the Champaign-Urbana area as a place I could call home!
Why did you choose to study urban planning?
I studied architecture in undergrad, and over the course of those four years, realized that, while I was passionate about the built environment, I was more inclined to policy than to design, and to large-scale rather than building-scale interventions. Learning about the history of urban policy in my college years in St. Louis, I realized the impact that planning can have – for good and for ill – and realized that I wanted to use those tools to best serve the whole range of people in a local community. Since then, my planning work has allowed me to positively impact the communities that I live in through public-driven interventions that will last for decades.
What advice would you share with someone who is considering a career in urban planning?
My #1 recommendation would be to build up some experience in government and planning, whether through an internship, a gap-year job, or volunteering. I spent two years as an Americorps VISTA in Moab, Utah before I came to DURP, and this experience was so important for me preparing me to make the most of my planning degree and to confirm that this was what I wanted to pursue for my career. Public service is wonderful, and it is also a very specific experience (I always say that the public meetings in Parks and Rec are not far from reality). Having some experience in the field that you’re going into will help inform and focus your studies to prepare for your time in the workforce. This knowledge will also guide you after graduation, as you determine where you want to go within the wide range of possibilities from a planning degree.