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Community, Environment & Planning Major

Individual Study Plan

George Winn
Class of 2016
Letter of Introduction
Course Map
Junior Year Courses
Senior Year Courses
Internship
Extra-curricular
Senior Project

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To Whom It May Concern,
My educational journey has been a span of schools over the past eight years. I by no
means, took the easy route. I believe though that my storied journey makes me a better student,
and hopefully a better community member. As a graduate of the Community, Environment &
Planning program at the University of Washington I want to be a thoughtful planner, a reflective
professional and an active communicator. It is these three tenets of a successful community
member that my past and present embody in my time at the University of Washington.
After graduating high school in 2008 I left for school at Western Washington University
in Bellingham. After two years I found myself floundering, I was without direction and restless.
I applied for and got into the University of Tasmania in Australia for a semester abroad. I
experienced. I found different joys in Australia that I could never have imagined. It was this trip,
and my reflection since that it has helped define my adult experience. I spent time long-term
volunteering in rural Laos, where I was a minority. Upon returning to America, a full year and a
half later, I had gained a sense of the possible and many of my ideals were complicated. In
Seattle I served as an Americorps at the YMCA, working in Seattle's Interagency Public High
School. I was pushed to confront the systemic injustice that is heaped upon people of color. As
an Americorps I opened a Teen Center in Auburn, Washington working to create an equality of
opportunity in a downtrodden community. The past two years I have worked in local youth
shelters and spent my summers hiking. In 2013 and 2014 I hiked on the Pacific Crest Trail,
culminating in the completion of my 2660 mile Pacific Crest Trail hike the month before I
started at the University of Washington. As an adult I have experienced momentous growth in
my understanding of myself. From this background I come to the Community, Environment &
Planning major.
At the University of Washington I want to become more involved in the planning
profession. I think that time in university should be more than a time of intellectual growth, I
want to learn practical skills. A thoughtful planner to me means that I will always think of the
repercussions of my actions. With this in mind I want to make sure that my planning classes are
accented by thought that grounds my mission in the social and environmental consequences of
development.
In addition to my work at the University of Washington I will continued to volunteer with
the Beacon Food Forest. I want my connection at the Beacon Food Forest to be an active
cultivar of skills lwearnded within CEP. At the food forest and in the Community, Environment,
& Planning program I want to remain committed to fostering reflection of myself. I believe that
through this professional reflection I will grow. To make this happen I know that I need to ask
for advice. In my CEP cohort classes it is important to me to ask for critique and to make sure
that others feel comfortable sharing their thoughts.
In the CEP program I want to develop my skills as an active communicator. To me, in
my education this means that I will seek and include others in my thoughts. By guiding my own
education I have an opportunity to take classes where I present, share, and speak to the topics
that are important to me.
Looking forward, I see myself working with an organization where I can use my
communication and leadership abilities to affect change. I believe that by building a strong sense
of practical skills and by focusing my leadership skills I will be an asset the local region. I also
know that I enjoy a wayward breeze. I look forward to finding an interest and letting it take me
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somewhere. The next two years will bring about changes in my life that I know I won't
understand for years; the excitement of returning to school to learn through different eyes is
beyond thrilling, it is illuminating. I must challenge myself to remain focused, and I know things
will work out.
Sincerely,
George Winn

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Course Map

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Junior Year 2014-2015


Autumn Quarter 2014
CEP 301 The Idea of Community (5)
Theories of community and communal rights and responsibilities. Experience building a learning community
within major. Explores struggles for community in every sector of life.
CEP 301, the first of the 6 part series looks at different philosophers thoughts of the role, nature and good of a
community. Discussion of the key ideas has given me pause and a reason to reflect on what our role as leaders
should be.
CEP 300 Fall Retreat (1)
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 majorspecific activities such as developing individual study plans and study abroad experiences.
CEP 400 Governance Practicum (1)
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
URBDP 498 Planning as a Profession (1) (Methods)
Gives students interested in the planning profession an opportunity to understand the different pathways and career
choices within the profession. This course will introduce students to guest professionals in various planning careers
and highlight key issues, skills used and tips to enter the field.
I enjoyed the hands-on nature of the course. Upon reflection the course helped me to realize how dynamic the
planning profession is, and how the nature of planning is so much more than zoning.

GEOG 377 Urban Political Geography (5) (Methods)


Examines how the spatial structure of cities and towns affects and is affected by political processes. Considers both
traditional and newer forms of politics, as global and local issues. Special attention paid to where politics takes place
within local contexts across state, civil society, home, and the body.
Who governs? We spent the quarter examining the role of government and the study of politics that underlay
modern society.

Winter Quarter 2015


CEP 302- Environmental Response (5)
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.
Societies' environmental response to a changing world are overwhelmingly being conducted on the community scale.
I want to make sure that I am part of the solution that leads us towards a healthier society. This class taught me
about how people and science worktogether in the Environmental Impact Process to effect change.
ESRM 250 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems in Forest Resources (5)
Applications of GIS technology to forest science and management. Fundamentals of GIS systems: data sources,
preprocessing, map analysis, output; remote sensing as a source of GIS data, image analysis, and classification.

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Emphasis on GIS as a source of management and technical information requests.
I want to learn how to accurately prepare layered maps of real places. Through cartography, society can be seen in a
more informative way, this was intro to this burgeoning field.
CEP 498 Grant Proposal Practicum (3) (Methods)
Develop skills in grant-writing, project development, and project management for projects targeting sustainability
goals. Apply environmental literacy to real-world problems by developing and presenting a project proposal
targeting sustainability goals, using the UW Campus Sustainability Fund as a model. Work to develop proposals
individually or in teams, in conjunction with faculty, administrators, practitioners, and others involved in
sustainability efforts at the UW and beyond.
The presentation of projects and grant proposals is a skill that transfers to many parts of life. As a leader in our
society I know that my ability to speak 'sustainability' clearly will help to get my goals communicated. Through
teams, and learning together I want to see my projects succeed.
CEP 400- Governance Practicum (1)

Spring Quarter 2015


CEP 303- Social Structures and Processes (5)
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.
Social structures underlay many of the decisions planners must make. I as a planner want to work through the
system to enact social change. I hope to learn about inclusiveness and what it takes for a person to feel included,
and in an even more powerful sense what it means for an institution to actively be inclusive.
URBDP 300 Intro to Urban Planning (5) (Methods)
Principles and theories of urban structure and institutions. Concepts and logic of planning as a community process
and a professional activity. Evolution of planning ideas in response to changing social, economic, and environmental
conditions within the American political framework. Complementary nature of public and private responsibilities.
Major procedures used by planners.
This introductory is the gateway to an understanding of Urban Planning. Social and Economic factors dictate what
infrastructure is build and prioritized.
CEP 498 Digital Design Practicum (5) (Methods)
This course prepares you to meet the varying challenges of the practice world by making you familiar with some of
the digital tools used extensively in the professional world. This is a hands-on course in which you will develop a
working knowledge of three specific software packages through a real-word case study project that focuses on a
variety of urban issues.
This class focused my abilities in design and presentation. Through this course I created 6 complex projects that
contribute to a professional portfolio. This class taught me time-management techniques while working on a team
with many site visits and working meetings.
CEP 400 Governance Practicum (1)
CEP 300 Spring Retreat (1)

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Senior Year 2015-2016


Autumn Quarter 2015
CEP 460 Planning in Context (5)
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.
By working with projects and teams I hope to gain a sense of the complexity of planning around people. I want to
learn more about communication as a group, and professional writing for clients.
POL S 357 Minority Representation and the Voting Rights Act (5)
Explores whether and how African-Americans and Latinos are able to organize effectively and press their demands
on the political system. Focuses on minority political behavior, the effect of these groups at the polls, the
responsiveness of elected officials, and legal or constitutional obstacles affecting these phenomena.
I believe that a democracy is stronger with higher participation. I am studying this important subject so that as a
planner and community member I can better engage and support our voting and non-voting residents as I work with
them to create the cities of our future.
CEP 446 Internship (5)
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.
In this internship class I learned professional skills and critically reflected on future career paths.
CEP 490 Senior Project Prep Seminar I: Research and Scoping (1)
See Senior Project
CEP Governance Practicum (1)
CEP 300 CEP Fall Retreat (1)
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 majorspecific activities such as developing individual study plans and study abroad experiences.

Winter Quarter 2016


CEP 461 Ethics and Identity (5)
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.
Building on the readings of CEP 301 I want to learn about the ethics of sustainability and even more specifically, the
role of democracy in sustainable planning.

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URBDP 480 Planning as a Profession (1)
Gives students interested in the planning profession an opportunity to understand the different pathways and career
choices within the profession. This course will introduce students to guest professionals in various planning careers
and highlight key issues, skills used and tips to enter the field.
I will build my professional circles and knowledge of firms in the Seattle area that practice planning on a daily basis
in the Planning as a Profession class.
URBDP 549 Hazard Mitigation (3) (Methods)
A survey of the field of planning for managing risks of natural hazards-earthquakes, floods, coastal/meteorological
hazards, and human-caused technological hazards/terrorism. Covers pre-event mitigation through building and landuse controls; disaster preparedness; post-even response, recovery, and mitigation of future hazards. Emphasizes
hazard mitigation as a long-term strategy for achieving sustainability of communities.
I used this class to use my previous science background to incorporate science, communication and planning into
one course. My course project centered on the planning policies that local cities use to mitigate the effects of coastal
bluff recession.
CEP 400 Governance (1)
CEP 491 Senior Project Prep Seminar II: Methods and Actualization (1)
See Senior Project

Spring Quarter 2016


CEP 462 Community and Environment (5)
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.
I am excited to see the various subjects of Community, Environment, and Planning all come together in this class,
combined with two seminar courses on Urban Design I think I will be able to practice so much of what I have been
learning for the past two years.
URBDP 552 Intro to Real Estate (3)
Provides a basic overview of the participants, processes, workings of different components of the real estate
industry (including a variety of uses spanning from residential, office, retail and industrial to specialized) as well as
the quantitative components of the real estate decision-making. Additionally, students are introduced to an overview
of construction management, sustainability, corporate services, property law and ethics.
This course will give my education time and place to learn about the real estate practices that foster a liveable and
fortunate Seattle.
URBDP 560 Metro Regional Policy (4)
Explores national/local urban policy concerning the major problems confronting cities and metropolitan regions
today. Economic globalization, income inequality, and metropolitan decentralization shape the urban agenda, the
context for urban policy, and the analytic focus of the course. A project allows the exploration of strategies for
intervention.
In my future I must acknowledge that my future career could be based in Seattle but the cornucopia of worldly
options includes many places situated within the greater metropolitan. Income inequality is in concentrating in
suburbs, I want to make sure that I have an understanding of factors facilitating this unfortunate stratification.
CEP Governance Practicum (1)

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CEP 300 CEP Retreat (1)

Internship
In Summer 2015 I interned at EnviroIssues, a consulting firm that facilitates public participation
in planning and construction projects in Puget Sound. I got this internship by networking with
past and present employees, attending three interviews, and being positive. I worked in a
downtown Seattle office with a younger workforce of planners and communication
professionals.
At EnviroIssues I worked on a myriad of projects; I appreciated this mix because I got to see
small and large construction projects. I helped recored and analyze data from a mix of public
meetings and flyer neighborhoods, informing them of upcoming construction or participation
opportunities. The last two weeks of my internship I worked on an Environmental Impact
Statement public participation process for construction near Anacortes, Washington. From my
studies in CEP 302, I had a solid foundation for understanding the EIS process and how
important public input is. At EnviroIssues I worked on several different projects that were at
various stages of completion, a treat that let me learn more aobut the communication side of
public projects.
There is an open door at EnviroIssues for me if I want to apply there upon graduation. I am
interested in this option as I explore thoughts for my future in professional settings across the
Puget Sound.

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Extra-curricular Plans
Three years ago I got involved with the Beacon Food Forest in South Seattle. Now I am
coordinating 100+ person work parties, communicating with different departments within the
city, and learning about organizational leadership in a way that university could never provide. I
seek to get more UW and CEP students involved with the Food Forest. CEP alumni and students
have supported and been involved at the food forest for many years, I want to maintain this. I
intend to remain committed to the Food Forest and I have also realized that with my limited
amount of time I will need to prioritize my balance of commitments.
Balancing these two desires; I am a human. I am already working two jobs to support myself
while at the University of Washington. I am a financial aid recipient, but like many people, the
aid does not cover the cost of my expenses. I want my education to be relevant, practical, and
rigorous, and education that will prepare me for my future.

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Senior Project
In 2015, acting as part of a team I facilitated five focus groups in Seattle's First Hill
neighborhood. In my role working with the First Hill Improvement Association, I helped to
catalyze neighborhood support and comment on Seattle's first Pavement to Park project. Our
two pavement to parks, situated in Seattle densest residential neighborhood represent some of
our communities need for increased public open space. My senior project will be a reflection on
this process through an academic case study of three insurgent sites in Seattle. These grass roots
community groups temporarily use public space to make a statement and benefit their
community. These sites are not often sanctioned by the city. I will study how insurgent users and
city departments communicate about these insurgent projects. These insurgent uses bring the
community together. This project will draw on my experience in First Hill, my involvement with
the Beacon Food Forest and my own education in CEP.

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