MSDUE Class of 2015–

Project Associate at Hester Street Collaborative – New York City, NY, USA.

Upon graduating from the MSDUE program, Rehanna interned as an urban planner at the Union County Bureau of Planning and Economic Development in New Jersey. She joined the Hester Street team in the fall of 2015. Rehanna works as a Project Associate and supports the organization’s mission to empower residents of undeserved communities by providing them with the tools and resources necessary to have a direct impact on shaping their built environment. Most recently, she has worked on projects where HST is doing community engagement to integrate community knowledge and input into the design of flood protection, and into the design and programming of an integrated health hub. With a bachelors degree in International Affairs and Communications, Rehanna joined the MSDUE program in order to “acquire the skills and tools to create concrete interventions such as community organizing strategies that employ the lens of urban systems, histories and theories. Learning the application of graphic design and mapping skills to create vibrant and interactive popular education tools such as timelines, games and art installations has been extremely useful in my work.”  

Rehanna points to a critical aspect of the MSDUE program: collaboration and teamwork. She suggests that she created an invaluable network of peers during her graduate studies, and “even though many of us have gone in different directions, I am always asking for their opinions, and am inspired by the work they are all doing.”