Alumni Feature Tatiana Height

Title of thesis: Analyzing Communities in Black America: How Urban and Regional Planners Can Plan for Prosperous Black Communities

How has your degree advanced your career?  The CRP degree was instrumental in launching my career as a planner. I have even utilized some of the CRP coursework in my current and previous positions. I researched meeting facilitation as a part of CRPL 900 and have gone on to facilitate public meetings. I learned economic analysis as a part of CRPL 840 which I used in my previous position at the NE Department of Natural Resources. I have also utilized the GIS skills learned in CRPL 830 to map out historic districts expansions and to create buffers to prioritize housing rehabilitation projects in Kinston's low-income neighborhoods and communities of color.

Current work project: I am the Project Manager for the Kickstart Kinston economic development program. The goal of this program is to help Kinston entrepreneurs start new businesses or grow existing businesses. We put on a series of business events throughout the year and we have a business loan fund which is funded by the NC Rural Center. 

Other degrees: I have a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Great Plains Studies with minors in Community & Regional Planning, Environmental Studies, and Engler Entrepreneurship.

Fondest memory or most rewarding project with the program? The most rewarding project I did in the CRP program was researching park and greenspace equity in the South Salt Creek Neighborhood, for Neighborworks Lincoln, as a part of the Planning Studio course. I was even invited to present that research at the 2018 NC Environmental Justice Summit.

What did you think about the curriculum and the quality of the faculty?  I think the CRP program has a solid curriculum foundation. I was very pleased to be able to take the first online class offered through the CRP Program, in the final semester before I graduated. I also think the CRP Program has a very supportive group of faculty members.