Safe Routes to School Intern |
July 2017 - June 2018
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After studying sustainable urban mobility on my study abroad and developing a fascination with children’s mobility, an internship with the Seattle Department of Transportation’s Safe Routes to School team was a dream. In the summer after my junior year I worked full time at SDOT, organizing events and doing data analysis. I had the opportunity to represent SDOT SRTS at events throughout the community, promoting safe transportation behavior. I quickly discovered that communicating face-to-face with parents and students to talk about transportation was my favorite part of the job. I really enjoyed getting the opportunity to celebrate safe and healthy access to school on a daily basis. At SDOT I also developed strong GIS skills through working on a number of projects creating spatial datasets.
Upon starting my senior year, I switched to working part time, about fifteen hours per week throughout the school year. Having a full course load and training for my last year on the track team while working at SDOT made my last year at UW a handful. It was challenging at times to be juggling these responsibilities while contemplating the end of my college career. But working on my senior project, running track, and working at SDOT were all things that I was excited to be a part of, and that inspired me every day. Working at SDOT and being on the frontline of pedestrian and bicycle innovation in Seattle helped me think about my own professional aspirations. The Safe Routes to School team at SDOT has motivated me to continue pursuing the development of safe, sustainable, and equitable urban environments for all. |