“As I got older, I became increasingly aware of the social and environmental challenges tied to urban design. All of my experiences led me to a major where I could combine creativity, problem-solving, and a vision for better cities into something tangible. Rutgers has given me the chance to blend the technical side of planning with creative design. Urban planning is a multidisciplinary field, and the ability to collaborate with people from different backgrounds, such as engineers, architects, environmental scientists, and policy experts, will enrich your learning and the solutions you develop.”
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Graduate Urban Planning Student Profiles
Meshing Creativity and Community with Placemaking and Equity
“My strong foundation in writing and critical thinking, paired with my interest in community engagement and social justice, launched my Planning and Public Policy career at Rutgers. As much as I love picnicking in the green space of Hoboken’s waterfront Pier A Park or strolling along the walkway of the Brooklyn Bridge, I am most passionate about ensuring that all communities have access to vibrant, sustainable, and equitable cities. So be open to trying everything—even if you may not initially be interested in a specific class or internship, give it a chance.”
Cultivating an Interest in Transportation Planning from Family and Community
Growing up in a family of transportation enthusiasts fueled Arnav Prakash’s fascination with urban planning. His experience at the Bloustein School has surpassed his hopes for his education.
Shaping Communities Though Urban Development and Affordable Housing
Ian Salzman’s MCRP ’25 first exposure to urban development was a summer internship in college, working with a community development corporation and local stakeholders to develop affordable housing.
Global Perspectives, Local Impact: A Quest for Affordable Housing Equity
As an undergraduate at Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria Bori Agboola joined the press club, the Junior Chamber Initiative, and attended several conferences. These activities, and his natural outgoing personality, exposed him to the social, cultural, and environmental issues affecting his community.
Alumna Susana Gonzalez, AICP, MCRP ’18, highlighted by Congress for New Urbanism
Susana is as an accomplished professional with a rich background in architecture, urban planning, and community development, consistently making significant contributions to the field and striving to create sustainable and thriving urban environments.
Rithikha Rajamohan MCRP ’23 debuts film “Sympoiesis” at the New Jersey Film Festival 1/28/23
MCRP candidate Rithikha Rajamohan created a film for an Experimental Filmmaking course that was chosen to screen at the 41st New Jersey Film Festival. She reflects on the inspiration for the film and how it ties in to her work in Urban Planning.
Max Toth MCRP ’23 is recipient of SAE Metro Section Fellowship
In his research, he traced key moments of public policy interventions that led to increased models of electric school buses with onboard bidirectional charging, and pilot programs currently underway with utilities for V2G applications
Spanning regional contexts for international planning and development
After earning a bachelor’s in architecture and working in the field for several years, Divya decided to realign her architecture and design practice towards international planning by working towards a master’s in urban planning in the U.S.
Alumni Profile: Music is inherent in building design
Mrunmayee Atre, MCRP ’18 believes that music resides in everyone through heartbeats and breathing, and musical concepts can be applied to buildings which will have a different impact on people in the various spaces that they enjoy.