WESTFIELD- Ask any student in Westfield State University’s Geography and Regional Planning Department what they want to do after they graduate, and chances are they already know.
Take WSU senior Jonathan DiRodi for example. After deciding to join the major during his junior year, he already has a paid internship as a security analyst for the UMass Emergency Management Agency, with plans of eventually becoming a risk analyst for FEMA.
DiRodi began his college career as an Environmental Science major, studying meteorology and weather patterns. After becoming a Regional Planning major, he went on to apply his knowledge in areas that benefited others.
“I’ve always liked to make plans and see them through,” DiRodi said.
DiRodi has found a way to make his talent work for him. He’s not the only one.
The GARP Department has been a part of WSU for more than 20 years and focuses on both environmental and urban planning projects. One of the premiere goals of the program is to brainstorm and implement plans that are less harmful and wasteful to the environment, while still being efficient for communities.
WSU is unique in that it is the only public undergraduate college in New England to feature the program. Over the past 20 years, the department has proven lucrative for the interns and students that enroll in it. On average, about 30 students graduate from this major per year, and with less competition in the field than other majors, they can often find jobs in urban areas.
“It’s not a very large program,” said Robert Bristow, department chair, “but that helps with it being more hands-on and interactive for the students.”
Classes in the major often focus on group projects that stretch for the entire semester, rather than individual class work.
Dr. Stephanie Kelly, a professor in charge of managing internships in the office, expressed much excitement with the role GARP plays in the students’ careers.
“It gives you field and agency experience and helps you set up networking,” Kelly said. “It teaches students certain ways to solve problems.”
It’s not just the students who benefit from the program. Of the eight professors in the department, four have taken part in the S.T.A.R.S program, which allows them to do research for a semester abroad. Currently, one professor is working in Guatemala, aiding in finding solutions for land usage. Professors can then apply the knowledge they’ve gained into their lesson plans and fields.
The fields of study within the program cover a wide area, including public transportation, economic development and housing. It also deals with planning against natural disasters, such as the storm that hit New England in late October. Preventative measures are being taken to make sure the next storm is not as devastating.
But it’s not just immediate disasters that catch their attention. Locally, the department aids in various projects. According to Kelly, one such project is helping Columbia Greenway build a bike path that runs through the town and extends from Southwick to Southampton. On campus, they are currently working on a tree inventory, identifying and grouping the various species of trees in the area.
In addition, they also make sure the new buildings on campus meet LEED (Leading Environmental Energy Design) requirements so that they are sustainable. Progressive ideas such as this ensure that WSU is thinking about the future and always looking for new ways to improve itself.
Both on campus and off, the GARP department is the unsung hero of the city.
“Wherever disaster strikes,” DiRodi said, “I’ll be there to prevent it.”
