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Hi there! 👋 New cyburbanite here

C

Cityscape Dreamer

Cyburbian
Messages
31
Points
2
Hi there,
I found out about cyburbia from the planetizen, and found out about planetizen from a classmate who also works for a city planning department. These forums are fun and informative.

I am a non-traditional student (read: old bored housewife) almost finished with a bachelor's in urban and regional planning from Eastern Michigan University. It does have a reputation as a party school (it is located practically in the shadow of the illustrius U of M) and has almost non-existent admissions requirements, but at least its program is accredited, one of the few undergrad programs in the country that is. Before that, in my former life, I finished a year of architecture at U of D-Mercy, and 3 years of civil engineering, before I realized that engineering really wasn't very fun. So I got married, had a bunch of kids, got an associate's degree in Construction Technology, and eventually ended up living within commuting distance of EMU.

I declared my major in planning 2 weeks before Sept. 11. That event really did change this country and the world.

I would love to eventually work for any municipal planning department, but face the very real fact that going into an interview cold with no work experience, wearing my muslim head-scarf, is going to put off alot of prospective employers.
 
mendelman

mendelman

Unfrozen Caveman Planner
Staff member
Moderator
Messages
14,969
Points
58
Welcome!!

Happy to see another person who is familiar with the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti combo.

Keep on going and don't let the "head scraf" bigots be of any concern. I got a job and I wear a Rebel flag tie to all interviews.

(LOL)
 
S

SGB

Cyburbian
Messages
3,388
Points
26
Welcome!

As for future career prospects, you've read it elsewhere in these forums, but it's worth repeating: internships, internships, internships.

Your life experiences and diverse background should/may be considered an asset to many municipal planning departments.

We look forward to your thoughts and participation!
 
donk

donk

Cyburbian
Messages
6,970
Points
30
welcome and keep a positive attitude, with your education you'd make a welcome member of most small-midsized planning departments.
 
DecaturHawk

DecaturHawk

Cyburbian
Messages
880
Points
22
Welcome to our little group. Back in the early '90's, I was City Planner for Ypsilanti and have fond memories of my time there. Ypsi is a nice little town that is perpetually on the verge of greatness. Not to mention the world's most phallus-like water tower. Post early and often!
 
T

tsc

Cyburbian
Messages
1,905
Points
23
Welcome.....

There is a real ying yang thing going on... .didn't someone just leave???
 
M

Michele Zone

Messages
7,649
Points
29
Tranplanner said:
Aren't bored housewifes usually found on a different type of website? ;)

Welcome to cyburbia!
Click to expand...
No, no. I'm also just a bored housewife/college student. This is apparently the place to be for such types. After we get done running our household, we figure we are qualified to run a city or county -- and, next, The World! (When I say this, I have in mind that cartoon where the lab mice try to Take Over The World every night and it is hard to figure out if Stinky or The Brain is really the dumb one or the smart one. Gosh, having children really exposes one to such grand cultural experiences.)
 
C

Cityscape Dreamer

Cyburbian
Messages
31
Points
2
DecaturHawk said:
Ypsi is a nice little town that is perpetually on the verge of greatness.
Click to expand...

Really? I assume you mean the City of, not Township...

"Ypsilanti is faced with a declining population, a high poverty rate(18%), limited opportunities for tax base expansion, adeteriorating infrastructure, and a higherunemployment rate than surrounding communities." -Fromhttp://www.epa.gov/brownfields/html-doc/ypsilant.htm .

You may remember the Water street area, south of Michigan ave just east of the river, with its junkyards and scrapyards, and an old injection well, among other charming amenities? Well, the city recently got $200,000 from the EPA to redevelop 35 acres on the bank of the pristine Huron river from abandoned industry to high-density mixed residential with new-urbanist undertones.
http://www.biltmore-homes.com/hc_waterstreet_concept_site.htm .

Gene Jaworski had us traipsing around back in there among the rusting cars, snapping pictures for a report in his Environmental Assessment and Planning class . (By the way, he is retiring from teaching, along with Rocky Ward. The two of them started the Planning program at Eastern years ago, it won't be the same without them!)
 
M

Michele Zone

Messages
7,649
Points
29
Cityscape Dreamer said:
I believe you mean PINKY and the Brain? I must have seen "Wakko's Wish" a zillion times...
Click to expand...

Uh, yeah. I realized it was Pinky, not Stinky, a while ago but was not in the position to get online to correct it. lol. I figured someone would correct me before I got back. Thanks. I should have known it would be you.

I homeschool my gifted- learning disabled kids. So I find that show particularly funny. When Pinky says something that is all whacked out but, in a weird way, far smarter than anything The Brain ever says, it reminds me of my kids (especially one of them).

I have a little stuffed 'doll' (for lack of a better word) that my sister sent me (possibly when I got my Associate's) dressed in a graduation gown and hat that says "I is a brane" across the front of his shirt. I keep it on the same shelf with my Associate's degree (summa cum laude) and some of my academic awards. lol.
 
JNA

JNA

Cyburbian Plus
Messages
26,409
Points
68
welcome from a bordering...not boring...state.
ditto what SGB said - internship
 
S

SW MI Planner

Cyburbian
Messages
3,199
Points
27
Gene Jaworski had us traipsing around back in there among the rusting cars, snapping pictures for a report in his Environmental Assessment and Planning class . (By the way, he is retiring from teaching, along with Rocky Ward. The two of them started the Planning program at Eastern years ago, it won't be the same without them!)
Click to expand...

Jaworski sure tells you like it is huh? Or at least how he thinks it is :) Rocky was my advisor and sat in on my oral exam.
 
DecaturHawk

DecaturHawk

Cyburbian
Messages
880
Points
22
Cityscape Dreamer said:
Really? I assume you mean the City of, not Township...

"Ypsilanti is faced with a declining population, a high poverty rate(18%), limited opportunities for tax base expansion, adeteriorating infrastructure, and a higherunemployment rate than surrounding communities." -Fromhttp://www.epa.gov/brownfields/html-doc/ypsilant.htm .

You may remember the Water street area, south of Michigan ave just east of the river, with its junkyards and scrapyards, and an old injection well, among other charming amenities? Well, the city recently got $200,000 from the EPA to redevelop 35 acres on the bank of the pristine Huron river from abandoned industry to high-density mixed residential with new-urbanist undertones.
http://www.biltmore-homes.com/hc_waterstreet_concept_site.htm .

Gene Jaworski had us traipsing around back in there among the rusting cars, snapping pictures for a report in his Environmental Assessment and Planning class . (By the way, he is retiring from teaching, along with Rocky Ward. The two of them started the Planning program at Eastern years ago, it won't be the same without them!)
Click to expand...

Yes, I worked for the City back when City Hall was covered by a giant golden cheese grater (the building was originally a bank that had been "modernized" by a metal facade treatment in the 1950's). We were trying to do something with Water Street even then, and had just opened the bridge and the trail while I was there. I also remember Gene and Rocky very well; they asked me to critique planning projects for one of their classes. Good guys that will indeed be missed.

I remember that the attitude of the EMU students was generally that Ypsilanti was/is a dump. I was back there last fall for the first time in 12 years and a lot has been done to make it a better place. True, the Water Street project never seemed to get going and there are a lot of run down areas, but downtown is looking much better and Depot Town is still going strong. Sometimes I think that the students don't appreciate the town much because they are perpetually in the shadow of the U of M and the oh-so-perfect and wonderful Ann Arbor. However, in my experience, there are a lot of worse places.

I was there when we began planning for the old Masonic Hall which is now an arts center (we tried and came close to luring The Ark there from Ann Arbor). I was disappointed to see that the old urban renewal site on the south end of town was finally redeveloped into a car dealership; we had such grand plans for that site (we were considering an offer from an Ypsi native to fund an African-American History and Cultural Center, but it never came through).

Best of luck in your college career. Internships will help you, and I don't believe your Muslim scarf will prevent you from finding a good job, especially if you are looking in the public sector.
 
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