Junior Year (2017-2018)
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Senior Year (2018-2019)
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Autumn 2017
CEP 301--The Idea of Community Theories of community and communal rights and responsibilities. Experience building a learning community within major. Explores struggles for community in every sector of life. This class stretched me and changed the way I think about community, society, and the world. By reading the philosophies of Aristotle, Plato, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Marx and Bakunin I learned about the ways people have understood the ideal society in response to the state of the world around them. This class was discussion based, so I practiced critical thinking and facilitation. CEP 300--Retreat Focuses on planning analysis assessment and development of the major. Opportunities for community building and all-major policy deliberation and decisions. Workshops for skill building in consensus, facilitation, and for major-specific activities such as developing individual study plans and study abroad experiences. CEP does a major-wide retreat at the beginning and end of each year. At my first retreat, in fall 2017, I participated in team-building exercises and got to know my peers so we can work well together throughout the year. At retreat I had the opportunity to reflect on why I am in CEP, UW, and going to university in the first place. In the spring CEP retreat is a recap on the year. CEP 400--Governance Practicum Emphasizes personal and collective leadership, democratic decision making, and learning through direct action and reflection. Explores and develops students' personal skills as doers and leaders, while also learning how to form and function as effective groups. In CEP we engage in the governance of our major every quarter both years by participating in committees. In Fall 2017 I was part of the committee that creates policy for the major (all CEP students take part in voting on policy). I practiced creating and using a survey, learned about the policy process, and was self-starting in my sub-committee. SPAN 360--Contemporary Spain Social, political, and cultural developments in Spain since the end of the Franco dictatorship in 1975. Extensive use of Spanish Web sites. This course covers Spanish history and culture, spanning from the Spanish Civil War to the present. Topics included the Franco Dictatorship, Spain’s transition to democracy, and the current economic crisis, through which we explored ideas such as national identity, family, and Spain’s current role in the global economy. Throughout the course we followed the news about Catalonia’s attempt at secession, which provided a relevant and continuous discussion for the quarter. This course was taught entirely in Spanish, I had the opportunity to facilitate a class in Spanish. GEOG 245--Geodemographics Explores the geodemographic underpinnings of societal dynamics and the spatial diversity of United States populations. Topics include immigration policy, the concept of 'race' in the census, fertility and mortality differences, political redistricting, segregation, and internal migration of populations. Examines regional and local scales of variation using geodemographic techniques and GIS. This course explores how population and place are linked, covering topics including immigration, gentrification, generational changes, and data collection methods. I developed my GIS skills by creating maps showing demographic trends in Washington State and King Country using ArcMap 10.5. I also learned to use Tableau, a data visualization software, which was particularly useful for visualizing temporal data. |
Autumn 2018
CEP 460--Planning in Context Examines theory against backdrop of practice for broad historical understanding of social, political, environmental planning. Critique from viewpoints, e.g., planning history, ethics, ecofeminism, environmental justice, class and capitalism, planning and global economy. Develop personalized history reflecting individual experience, professional experience, and philosophical heritage of planning profession. At the moment I am thinking that I’ll go into planning after CEP, and I think this course will clarify whether or not I really do want to work as a planner. The blend of philosophy and real life will aid in my understanding of planning in different contexts. This class will likely provide many opportunities to practice critical thinking. CEP 300--Retreat Focuses on planning analysis assessment and development of the major. Opportunities for community building and all-major policy deliberation and decisions. Workshops for skill building in consensus, facilitation, and for major-specific activities such as developing individual study plans and study abroad experiences. CEP does a major-wide retreat at the beginning and end of each year. At my first retreat, in fall 2017, I participated in team-building exercises and got to know my peers so we can work well together throughout the year. At retreat I had the opportunity to reflect on why I am in CEP, UW, and going to university in the first place. In the spring CEP retreat is a recap on the year. CEP 400--Governance Practicum Emphasizes personal and collective leadership, democratic decision making, and learning through direct action and reflection. Explores and develops students' personal skills as doers and leaders, while also learning how to form and function as effective groups. In CEP we engage in the governance of our major every quarter both years by participating in committees. In Fall 2017 I was part of the committee that creates policy for the major (all CEP students take part in voting on policy). I practiced creating and using a survey, learned about the policy process, and was self-starting in my sub-committee. CEP 446--Internship Class Connects core and individual courses with field work. Group and individual readings develop understanding of how students' internships and field placements constitute particular element of community and environmental planning. Explores how what we do for a living is part of our lives as citizens and public service. This course will help me discern and articulate my experiences and the skills I will develop in my internship. Regardless of what my internship is, this course will help me reflect on my real-world experience and can prepare me to connect it to my future jobs. I am looking forward to the internship itself, and to being in a class where I can hear about other CEP students’ internship experiences. CEP 490--Senior Project Prep Seminar: Research and Project Scoping Supports the conceptualization and planning of senior project/capstone work. Focuses on selecting a project, beginning a literature review, finding a mentor, and developing a plan. As I brainstorm senior project ideas during my Junior year, I will arrive at CEP 490 with a handful of project themes, which will likely evolve over the course of the year. CEP 490 provides a setting and some structure for the highly independent senior project. This course will get the ball rolling and on course so that I have a meaningful senior project by graduation. GEOG 482--GIS Data Management (M) Examines the principles and application of geospatial database management software, including personal and enterprise geodatabase management solutions. Considers enterprise architectures for GIS relative to organizational size. Addresses collaborative uses of Internet, Intranet, and Extranet architectures. Offers case studies in database management, with a variety of dataset types and sizes. Having practiced using GIS software in several classes, this course in GIS Data Management will help me to understand GIS software better and will allow me to use GIS to a greater potential. I will gain exposure to several types of databases and coding languages, which will increase my technical literacy and may open career opportunities later. |
Winter 2018
CEP 302--Environmental Response Explores issues of environmental crisis and societal responses. Readings and reflective analysis from broad selection of authoritative sources to develop grounded perspective in ecological literacy and consciousness. Concurrently, experiential education in challenges and practical responses to building sustainable society through participation in community-based environmental effort. The most significant learning I did in CEP 302 was around Environmental Impact Statements--our EIS project helped me understand the parts of an EIS and I learned about what counts as an “impact” on the environment. What I learned in CEP 302 was helpful later when I did my internship with the Port of Seattle environmental department and I worked with the State Environmental Protection Act. CEP 400--Governance Practicum Emphasizes personal and collective leadership, democratic decision making, and learning through direct action and reflection. Explores and develops students' personal skills as doers and leaders, while also learning how to form and function as effective groups. In CEP we engage in the governance of our major every quarter both years by participating in committees. In Fall 2017 I was part of the committee that creates policy for the major (all CEP students take part in voting on policy). I practiced creating and using a survey, learned about the policy process, and was self-starting in my sub-committee. PUBPOL 403--Professional Leadership (M) Cultivates practical skills required to lead within various organizational contexts: managerial strategies for public, nonprofit, and business organizations are developed through case studies and guest speakers. Focuses on analytical and ethical approaches to problem solving and the communication skills needed for effective leadership in any career. This graduate-level course gave me the opportunity to practice my leadership skills, which I can use in nearly all areas of life. I practiced public speaking and team management, and had the chance to engage with guest speakers who have valuable, seasoned insights on leadership. This class was recommended by several other CEP students and alumni. SPAN 439--Special Topics Focuses on an individual Spanish author or a special topic in Spanish literature. The majority of my focus in the Spanish minor has been in Latin American literature and culture; therefore, this special topics course will provide the opportunity to explore literature from Spain--same language, different influences! I am looking forward to finding out what the professor will choose as the topic of this course, as well as to having another opportunity to improve my Spanish fluency. URBDP 598--Special Topics The course is being facilitated by the William D Rukelshaus Center to design a process to address the successes and failures of the WGMA in preparation for a final report due Q3 2019. Students analyze county and city comprehensive plans to determine how they achieve WGMA and prepare for the interview process with public officials occurring over the next year and a half. In this seminar I learned about how Washington State orchestrates comprehensive planning through the Washington State Growth Management Act. I studied several small(er) cities in Western WA and became familiar with the parts of a comprehensive plan. Visioning and vision statements were of particular interest. |
Winter 2019
CEP 461--Ethics and Identity Examination of personal, societal, vocational, environmental, planning ethics. Readings and discourse on ethical foundations for public life. Individual and group readings on values, human potential. Develops understanding of ecological context, moral responsibility, self-awareness. Constructs positive, diverse view of humanity, environment regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, beliefs. Planning is about people and the environment, which means that ethics are key! In this class I will learn how to think about broad impacts of planning decisions on society and the built and natural environment. This course will be discussion based and will be an opportunity to learn from other people’s perspectives. CEP 400--Governance Practicum Emphasizes personal and collective leadership, democratic decision making, and learning through direct action and reflection. Explores and develops students' personal skills as doers and leaders, while also learning how to form and function as effective groups. In CEP we engage in the governance of our major every quarter both years by participating in committees. In Fall 2017 I was part of the committee that creates policy for the major (all CEP students take part in voting on policy). I practiced creating and using a survey, learned about the policy process, and was self-starting in my sub-committee. CEP 491--Senior Project Prep Seminar: Methods & Actualization Focuses on implementing the senior project/capstone, including revisions and updates as seen fit. After I get the ball rolling and on track with my senior project in CEP 490, CEP 491 will provide some guidance for implementation. At this point I will be working with a mentor who can provide insight and additional guidance. I am so excited to reach the challenging implementation stage of my project! SPAN 335--Spanish and Latin American Film Introduction to major issues in the study Hispanic Cinema from various national contexts as well as to film theory and the basics of cinematic techniques. Relationship between film and class, gender and ethnicity. After studying Spanish and Latin American literature for several quarters, I will be looking forward to learning about and analysing Hispanic Cinema media. The gender and ethnicity aspects are particularly interesting to me. However, considering the fact that I am doing a Spanish minor because I want to practice speaking and understanding the language, I am considering taking a different Spanish class than this one because it is taught in English. GEOG 330--Latin America: Landscapes of Change (M, D) Examines operation of economic, social, and political processes across countries of Latin America - on international, national, and local scales - to understand common issues facing the region and different impacts in particular countries. Topics include internationalization of Latin American economies; agrarian and urban change; popular movements. This class is a blend of my interests in geography, Latin American culture, and urban change. After several GIS-centered geography classes, this class will be welcome shift to cultural geography. Additionally, after this course I will better understand the internationalization of Latin American economies, which has a major impact on people’s lives in urban and agricultural areas. |
Spring 2018
CEP 303--Social Structures and Processes Investigates use of formal and informal social structures and processes within context of community and environment. Looks at patterns and institutions of social organization and relationships among different sectors. Issues of interrelatedness, citizenship, knowledge, and communication. In CEP 303 I learned about ways of evaluating community assets, observing real-life uses of space, and about understanding neighborhood identity. I worked on several different teams for a project based on the Central District and I learned more about a historical Seattle Neighborhood. Gentrification was a common theme in this class and I learned how to observe, first hand, signs of it. CEP 300--Retreat Focuses on planning analysis assessment and development of the major. Opportunities for community building and all-major policy deliberation and decisions. Workshops for skill building in consensus, facilitation, and for major-specific activities such as developing individual study plans and study abroad experiences. CEP does a major-wide retreat at the beginning and end of each year. At my first retreat, in fall 2017, I participated in team-building exercises and got to know my peers so we can work well together throughout the year. At retreat I had the opportunity to reflect on why I am in CEP, UW, and going to university in the first place. In the spring CEP retreat is a recap on the year. CEP 400--Governance Practicum Emphasizes personal and collective leadership, democratic decision making, and learning through direct action and reflection. Explores and develops students' personal skills as doers and leaders, while also learning how to form and function as effective groups. In CEP we engage in the governance of our major every quarter both years by participating in committees. In Fall 2017 I was part of the committee that creates policy for the major (all CEP students take part in voting on policy). I practiced creating and using a survey, learned about the policy process, and was self-starting in my sub-committee. PubPol 313--Evidence Based Policy Implementation Explores the multidimensional challenge of turning policy and program intentions into valued results on the ground. Understanding why implementation can fall short of expectation requires an understanding of how public/nonprofit organizations work; including their mission, resources, collaborators, and results measurement. Examines the role that evidence can play in service of democratic governance and policy effectiveness. While working with several case studies from all over the world, I learned about what it takes to make change through policy. We covered several policy-making techniques and processes, and applied them to the case studies. Because of this class, encounter policy differently. When I read or think about policy, I consider the processes and thinking behind the policy, as opposed to just about the policy itself, at face value. R E 370--Real Estate Data Modeling Data issues in real estate differ considerably from other assets. This class will cover a variety of different issues that arise when analyzing and modeling land, residential and commercial real estate markets. The course will cover hedonic models, GIS and spatial modeling, forecasting. Generally the class will consider how to manage datasets of varying quality and size and how to effectively model them. By creating a GIS map with different weighted layers, I learned how to create a tool for choosing the best sites based on criteria that make sense given the context. This class stretched my understanding of GIS and my problem solving ability, and allowed me to combine skills I had learned in my previous GIS classes. |
Spring 2019
CEP 462--Community and Environment Capstone quarter merges core seminars, disciplinary courses in major, community field experiences for mastery of personal knowledge and skills. Reflection and synthesis of themes in major; engagement with contemporary issues. Compares theoretical definitions of community and environment with individual philosophies and knowledge within thoughtful, applied context. This course will be the culmination of all CEP’s core classes. After taking 5 other courses with my cohort, I expect that we will know each other’s communication styles and the depth of our relationships will lead to fabulous discussions. By this point I will have also completed my internship and the internship course, and I am looking forward to being able to use my internship as context for the themes of this course. CEP 300--Retreat Focuses on planning analysis assessment and development of the major. Opportunities for community building and all-major policy deliberation and decisions. Workshops for skill building in consensus, facilitation, and for major-specific activities such as developing individual study plans and study abroad experiences. CEP does a major-wide retreat at the beginning and end of each year. At my first retreat, in fall 2017, I participated in team-building exercises and got to know my peers so we can work well together throughout the year. At retreat I had the opportunity to reflect on why I am in CEP, UW, and going to university in the first place. In the spring CEP retreat is a recap on the year. CEP 400--Governance Practicum Emphasizes personal and collective leadership, democratic decision making, and learning through direct action and reflection. Explores and develops students' personal skills as doers and leaders, while also learning how to form and function as effective groups. In CEP we engage in the governance of our major every quarter both years by participating in committees. In Fall 2017 I was part of the committee that creates policy for the major (all CEP students take part in voting on policy). I practiced creating and using a survey, learned about the policy process, and was self-starting in my sub-committee. LSJ 422--Immigrants, Labor and Legality (M) Provides sociological examination of working immigrants in the United States. Focuses on how immigration and labor legislation shape context of working, worker identity, and rights. Topics include federal and state legislation, employee classification, division of labor, skilled/unskilled, flexibility, legal status, organizing, and relationship to race and gender ideology in shaping contexts of working and rights. This course is relevant to my course of study and career plans because immigrants make up a significant part of nearly all cities and are a population that have a lot to contribute! Many cities are not well equipped to serve immigrant populations. I hope to use what I know from my public policy and diversity courses to participate actively in this course. If I want to be able to make any difference in the world, I should know how the world and its systems work. URBDP 498--Special Topics (M) Systematic study of specialized subject matter. Topics for each quarter vary, depending upon current interest and needs, and are announced in the preceding quarter. Whether or not I choose to enroll in this course may depend on the topic, which is announced before registration. I will take this course if the theme seems applicable to what I want to do after college because this will be one of my last hands-on experiences in college before I spread my wings! In this course I will practice my professional communication skills since I’ll be working on a project with real-world implications. |