Our Summer 2025 interns have returned to class for the new school year. We are grateful to have watched Youngjin and Jackie grow their skills with us and cannot wait to see their future careers blossom.
(from left to right in picture above)
Youngjin Yang, Civil Engineering Intern: Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering at the Cornell University College of Engineering.
Jackie Dudek, Planning Intern: Bachelor of Urban Planning at the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning.
We asked each of them to share their reflections on their summer with REA:
What’s been your favorite experience during this internship?
- YY: My favorite experience during this internship was being able to visit many different REA projects in person. It was cool to physically see how our work translates into actual structures that is going to benefit so many people.
- JD: My favorite experience of my internship has been getting a season-long snapshot of what the urban planning process actually looks like. We get lots of theory and technical information in school, but witnessing and participating in the process firsthand is fundamental to understanding urban planning. Getting that firsthand experience, from public meetings to data analysis to drafting the plan, was invaluable to my education and career.
What skill or knowledge have you gained from this experience?
- YY: One skill I was able to greatly improve during my experience was Civil3D. I learned how to design road alignments, profiles, assemblies, corridors and pipe networks using Civil3D.
- JD: I have gained a sincere understanding of the multilayered web of relationships that determines the success of a plan. So much of planning hinges on our ability to communicate effectively with others — policymakers, stakeholders, residents. The firsthand experience I had working with these groups has given me a crucial foundation to approaching future work.
What notable project(s) have you worked on during your internship?
- YY: Some notable projects I worked during my internship were the Indianapolis Arts Center and Jay County designs. For the Arts center, I designed and calculated the performance of a steel deck under certain loading conditions. For Jay County, I created surface road profiles and water pipe networks.
- JD: I worked on multiple comprehensive plan projects, including the Westfield Comprehensive Plan and LaPorte Comprehensive Plan. I also worked on zoning variances and community outreach for the Town of Pittsboro. I also worked on a zoning overlay district, conducting analyses for the City of Lawrence.
Tell us about your capstone project. How will you benefit from this project? How will the firm benefit from this research?
- YY: My capstone project revolved around geotechnical engineering. I gave background information about geotechnical engineering concepts and analyzed how they can impact REA projects. I will benefit from this project as I gain a better understanding of geotechnical engineering and how it can apply to real world projects. The firm will benefit from my work as they learn about certain geotechnical engineering concepts and how it can affect their own work.
- JD: My capstone project stemmed from a desire to marry two of my passions — cities and language. By conducting a high-level investigation of language diversity in the City of Indianapolis, I wanted to explore strategies planners and policymakers could take to make our urban spaces, processes, and social networks more inclusive to multilingual communities. This project benefiting me because it allowed me to embark on a qualitative research pathway with language and immigrant advocates throughout Indiana, setting the foreground for future research. The project benefits REA because it highlights an often-overlooked dimension of urban systems by planners: language. In moving towards heightened language access and inclusion in planning, we create more inclusive, dynamic, and vibrant cities.
What did you enjoy about the city of Indianapolis?
- YY: I enjoyed how walkable the city of Indianapolis was. Many parts of the downtown area were easily accessible just by simply walking, which was convenient. Additionally, the city having an NBA and WNBA team was also very enjoyable, as I was even able to attend a Fever game this summer!
- JD: I was pleasantly surprised by the City of Indianapolis, myself originally hailing from Chicagoland. This is a great time for Indianapolis, which seems to be growing and improving by the day. I enjoyed the emerging BRT system in Indy, its vast multi-use trail network, and Monument Circle. I took many bike rides after work and enjoyed many meals at the Bottleworks District!
