How did you get your current job, and what kind of work do you do in your role?
After receiving my B.A. in Applied Humanities, with an emphasis in Spatial Organization & Design Thinking, I continued at the University of Arizona to receive my M.S in Urban Planning. This helped me land my current role as an urban planner for a consulting firm where my daily work centers on community and transportation planning projects. I divide my time between technical production work - creating maps, designing visual reports in InDesign and Illustrator, drafting comprehensive written documents, and analyzing data in Excel - and community engagement activities. I also regularly work on diverse projects including general plans, design guidelines, transportation master plans, and transportation design projects. While much of my work happens in the office, I also attend community meetings and site visits across the state of Arizona.
How did your Applied Humanities major coursework help prepare you or give you unique insight for the “real world” of work?
As an urban planner with an Applied Humanities degree, I’ve found my educational background invaluable, having learned the transferable skills of: interdisciplinary problem solving, cultural context, qualitative research methods, communication and stakeholder involvement, and design thinking. My interdisciplinary training equipped me with crucial skills for navigating the complex challenges of urban development that are supplemented with the technical knowledge gained with a Planning degree. My humanities education gave me interdisciplinary skills that planners need to navigate complex development challenges. By studying humanities, I also gained cultural context about urban issues and the lived experiences of diverse communities, which helps inform more thoughtful, inclusive approaches to urban planning. The qualitative research methods I also learned - such as ethnographic observation, interviews, and textual analysis - enable planners to conduct meaningful community assessments that capture nuanced perspectives. The communication skills I developed through my humanities degree has also been a vital skill in planning, giving me the ability to translate technical concepts to the public and facilitating productive dialogue among diverse stakeholders. Having an emphasis in Spatial Organization & Design Thinking also complements the creative problem-solving needed in urban planning, by helping develop communities that balance functionality with human needs, while maintaining the unique character of different neighborhoods.
