REA

As the new year begins, we are reflecting on our time with the 2024 Fall planning interns. We are grateful to have watched Aditiya and Ethan grow their skills with us and cannot wait to see their future careers blossom.

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(from left to right in picture above)

Aditiya Pradhan, Planning Intern: Bachelor of Urban Planning at the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning.

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‍Ethan Blair, Planning Intern: Bachelor of Urban Planning at the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning.

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We asked each of them to share their reflections on their time with REA:

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What’s been your favorite experience during this internship?

AP: My favorite experience during this internship was participating in the community engagement programs, REA capstone project, and the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana (OKI) Conference. I got the opportunity to network and learn about various professional issues and topics in the OKI Conference in Fort Wayne. I was also able to get inspiration and ideas for my capstone from the sessions. Two highlights of the conference were the speech by Jonathan Pacheco about “Embedded Planning”, it inspired me to look into planning from a more humanistic perspective, being more engaged and integrated in the community as a planner. Another highlight was the Mobile Program; Haunted Fort Wayne: Murder, Mystery and Mayhem, where I learned about the history of building uses in Downtown Fort Wayne and how it has changed over time. I also liked the variety of community engagements I got to observe and be a part of public meetings, steering committee meetings, focus groups, and other interactions with the community and city/town members in the meetings.

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EB: My favorite experience was having the opportunity to attend the New Harmony Planning Week. It was great being able to be immersed in the town for a whole week and make connections with the people of New Harmony. Additionally, it was great to hang out with coworkers when we weren’t working.

What skill or knowledge have you gained from this experience?

AP: My goal for this internship was to explore different fields of planning and better my communication. The knowledge I have gained from this internship is data collection and data analysis in Excel, communication, presentation and public speaking and interaction, creating graphics on Adobe Software: InDesign and Illustrator, and effective notetaking. Some of the other things I have learned are team building, presentation giving and public relations, time management, networking, and multitasking. I feel like I have improved my conversation skills a lot during my time at REA.

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EB: A major skill that I’ve gained was learning how to communicate with people at public meetings. It’s not something that can really be taught in school, so it was amazing to not only have the opportunity to do it, but to be pushed by my coworkers to speak more within the meetings. It helped me to come out of my shell and allowed me to become comfortable talking to strangers.

What notable project(s) have you worked on this fall?

AP: A notable project was the New Harmony Comprehensive Plan, where I spent 5 days in the town for Community Planning Week speaking to the community about their needs and expectations for their comprehensive plan. One of the major takeaways from this experience was the important role of interaction with the community for building trust as a planner from a consultant firm to establish good relationships and coordination.

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EB: Some of the projects I worked on during my internship were the New Harmony Comprehensive Plan; Nashville, Indiana Comprehensive Plan; Westfield Comprehensive Transportation Plan; Elkhart Unified Development Code; and Beech Grove Economic Development Plan.

Tell us about your capstone project. How will you benefit from this project? How will the firm benefit from this research?

AP: I investigated the integration of public art for the welfare of a community and researched the most applicable funding sources and techniques. I have benefited from the capstone to learn the process of planning a proper study and giving a presentation of my findings. I have been able to gain deeper insights into the technical and practical aspects of public and city/town partnership. REA could benefit by learning sources of different master plan and art works mentioned in my capstone.

EB: For my capstone, I focused on the pedestrian safety of the streets surrounding the University of Cincinnati’s campus. I learned a lot from my REA mentors about different pedestrian safety interventions that can be done. I intend to take the ideas I developed and apply them in future school projects, as well as advocate for the changes on campus.

What did you enjoy about the city of Indianapolis?

AP: I enjoyed the music and met new people. I really enjoyed the Latin night at the Lugar Plaza, which is a seasonal Latin event hosted monthly during the fall. They had food trucks and I got to try some delicious traditional food. I enjoyed walking in and around the neighborhood I was living in, Woodruff Place. Since I do not drive, I had limited activities, but I enjoyed the experiences in my neighborhood. Also, I liked the Halloween spirit in the neighborhood. I also liked spending my time in Spades Park on a sunny day and going to Amelia’s Bakery, a café near the park. I enjoyed my experience in Fountain Square too. I was able to attend their arts and music fest, where there were more than 50 artists and organizations present there. I attended a writer’s workshop at IndyReads which brought the writer community together to share their stories and give each other comments and feedback.
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