Whattsup?! this summer
with our students and graduates?

We've been getting lots of news from our students and graduates this summer. The following will fill you in on some of the happenings.

Kevin Christiansen, AICP, PCP, (BS 1984, Masters 1986) is now vice president of Land Development and Planning for Victor International Corporation, a luxury residentail and commercial development firm located in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Kevin has been on the board of the Michigan Society of Planning and is currently its vice president, and also serves on our program's Professionals Advisory Board.

Jenni Lawrence is getting married to Kevin Tracy on November 15th (the first day of deer hunting season). Rather than going hunting, they've decided to go to Australia on their honeymoon, and then return to live in Royal Oak. Good luck, Jenni! (and Kevin).

Jill Murray (BS 2002) updated us on what she is doing in Chicago. She continues work on the Chicago Area Transportation Study (CATS), coordinating the Management and Operations element of the 2030 Regional Transportation Plan. She also is in classes at the University of Illinois/Chicago and said her EMU studies really help her in the grad program.

Scott Barb (BS 2003) has acquired a position as Planner/Zoning Administrator with Hartland Township, just north of Brighton, Michigan, and begins on September 22nd.

David Harris (Masters program) is currently working as a GIS Coordinator for Region 2 Planning Commission in Jackson Michigan. He started working there in May 2003. He is currently looking at going back to school to pursue a PhD in GIS with a minor in Urban Planning or Public Administration.

Jennie Black emailed us and said she is now working as an Assistant Planner for Pittsfield Township, south of Ann Arbor. She works on site plan approvals, permits and the Comprehensive Plan, but likes best dealing with customers at the counter. She said an internship might be available in the fall.

Leslie Kettren, AICP, (Masters 1991; currently on the APA national board) has taken a position as the Director of Planning in Claremont, New Hampshire. She was drawn to this position in the former mill town by its beauty, its historic core, and its cooperative City Manager. It is near Dartmouth and two other universities and has many opportunities for a progressive future.

Lee Shirey (Masters 2003) had two significant job offers this spring and accepted that as Downtown Development Director for Sault Ste. Marie. He is looking forward to many opportunities for tourism development and establishing a historic district.

Tracy Mullins (Masters 2003) has accepted a position as Community Analyst in Florida with Powell Fragela and Associates, an urban planning and consulting firm that specializes in the public participation aspect of transportation planning. He will be developing training programs utilizing online decision support services. He is now in the process of moving.

Amy Bavin (BS 1999) has become established as a Senior Planner in Ft. Myers, Florida, and keeps in regular contact with EMU through email.

David Schleg, AICP, (Masters Pub.Ad.) is now working for the Long Range Planning Department in Dallas, Texas, where he is helping develop the city's first ever Comprehensive Plan. He's also studying existing and future land uses near light rail system stations.

Chris Baldwin (BA 1999) is now working in San Diego for The Omega Group, and has been involved with crime mapping and data sharing. He writes, "I still think back at times about my time spent at EMU; as time passes by, my memories become more meaningful."

Andre Stone (current undergrad student) writes from his summer stay in Germany, where he is working on a renovation project in the Black Forest. He recently wrote his work in now "fertig" (finished) and he has some free time in the "Stadt" (city). From there he will travel through Europe to Scandanavia before coming back to Ypsi for classes in the fall "in einem Monat oder so" (in a month or so).

Kimberly (Boris) Faison (BS 1999) is Grants Manager for the City of Inkster, Michigan, a community now focusing on changing its image.

Rob Linn (Masters 2003?) is now an Architectural Historian for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and is stationed in Carlisle, PA.

Jennifer Frederick (BS 2000) is now the Assistant Zoning Administrator with Highland Township, Michigan.

Undergrad student Andrew Armbruster is back in the Ypsi area after studying for a year in France. He is anxious to talk about his experiences.

Chad Jacobs (BS 2000) was able to get an Assistant Planner position with the City of Delray Beach, Florida, where there is a lot of redevelopment. Last November he and his wife had their first child, Meghan Elizabeth. Chad is preparing to take his AICP exam. Good luck!

Amy Miller (BS 1997) is now Amy Miller Jordan. She still works as Director of Education with the Michigan Society of Planning.

Ryan Buck has become a full-time employee with the Washtenaw Area Transportation Study in Ann Arbor. His recent tasks have included identifying transit, safety and bridge deficiencies for the County and working in coordination with SEMCOG to produce a statewide traffic signals database. Soon he will be taking to the roads for HPMS (Highway Performance Monitoring System) and Asset Management testing. These tests will help provide a statewide database for the condition of Federal aid-eligible roads and also provide information to the Feds which will impact the amount of transportation funding Washtenaw County receives.

Do you have information on other students or graduates that might be of interest. Email Norm Tyler and we'll be glad to include in this update.

Gene Jaworski retiring

Veteran faculty member Eugene Jaworski has announced his retirement beginning in the Fall 2003 semester. In 1975, Gene and Rocky Ward first developed the undergraduate Urban and Regional Planning Program, then known as the Land Use Analysis Program and later the Land Use Planning Program. Since then, Jaworski has specialized in environmental courses and brought a wealth of experience to the classroom based on his work as a certified environmental consultant.

Although Gene will leave a large void in faculty resources for the program, no authorization has yet been given for a search for a replacement faculty. It is expected his courses will be taught by adjuncts until a decision is made. Gene will be missed, but we wish him the best in his well-deserved retirement.

New faculty member Bob Jones

After an extensive national search, EMU has extended an offer to Dr. Robert Jones to come as a new faculty member of the program to replace the retiring Rocky Ward. His academic portfolio, professional experience and "fit" with program needs make him an ideal candidate for this key faculty position.

Jones has had a variety of professional experiences, including with King County, Washington, in surface water management issues in suburban and rural areas, 2 years with the City of Sandy, Oregon, in comprehensive, long-range planning, including work in small towns and rural areas, and as a planning consultant working on land-use/transportation/housing issues.

He has also studied and traveled in Europe, including two terms of architectural study in Rome and additional travel and language study in the former Soviet Union. He also has had experience in architectural/urban design practice, including work on projects in the US, Canada, Europe, and Asia. His design work includes several historic preservation projects in Canada and the U.S.

Jones has presented papers at 10 different academic and professional conferences (American Planning Association, Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, Urban Affairs Association, International Seminar on Urban Form, Portland Architectural Symposium). His work includes 3 book reviews and 2 articles published in refereed journals, including Journal of the American Planning Association (on neighborhood planning and development) and Housing Studies (on home ownership and social equity issues), with two other articles nearly completed for submission.

The department welcomes Bob Jones, who begins teaching in the Fall Semester.

Norm Tyler now Grad Program Advisor

With the retirement of Rocky Ward, Norm Tyler now takes over as advisor for the GIS/Planning graduate program. The files have been shifted to his office, and students should contact him directly for admission and graduation concerns and other general items. Rocky will be able to continue involvement with individual students on papers and orals.

The undergraduate Planning program will have Bob Jones as its new advisor. Norm will continue in this capacity until Bob arrives for the Fall semester.

For any questions, call Norm at 734.487.8656 or during the summer try his home phone at 734.761.5549.

Faculty presentations at conferences

Two members of the planning faculty have given presentations at conferences this summer. Norm Tyler attended the Joint Congress of the Association of European Schools of Planning (AESOP) and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) in Leuven, Belgium. He gave an hour-long presentation on the WebPolis Consortium project currently under development with Yichun Xie and EMU's Institute for Geospatial Research and Education (IGRE). Dr. Xie gave a similar presentation on the GIS aspects of the WebPolis project at the Internet Education Technicians Conference.

For any questions, call Norm at 734.487.8656 or during the summer try his home phone at 734.761.5549.