College of Agriculture & Natural Resources

By: Cassi Meitl, graduate student, MSU Urban & Regional Planning Program

This October, I attended the annual Michigan Association of Planning (MAP) Conference where Michigan State University was well-represented by students. There were eight undergraduate, four graduate and two PhD students in attendance for the three-day event on Mackinac Island.

Students often have a unique perspective at events like this and below I share why this annual event, in particular, is an important opportunity for Urban & Regional Planning students at the MSU School of Planning, Design and Construction.

After arriving on the Island by ferry, I collected my bag and walked the 20 steps to the door of Lake View Hotel to check in. Then, I headed up to the Grand Hotel to check-in to the MAP Conference, attended a session and began networking. I proudly attached my “student” ribbon to my nametag to let the room full of potential future employers know that I will be looking for a job soon. During the sessions and roundtable-discussion lunch, I sat with professionals and envisioned my place where they are years from now, as a seasoned professional and leader of the field.

Throughout the multi-day event, I attended numerous sessions, which can be challenging for us students. I’m assuming that we, like all conference attendees, choose sessions with interesting titles, descriptions in line with our studies, because we know nothing on the topic, because we can relate to the topic, or because we are familiar with the speakers (or at least that is how I decided which sessions to attend).

Noteworthy sessions that I attended include a discussion of Michigan projects by a panel of Sustainable Communities and Challenge Grant leaders, a roundtable lunch program, a pecha kuccha general session, and a discussion of strategies for communities to attract developers and investment. The panel provided a great overview of Michigan projects and highlighted the challenges and struggles each project faced. Pecha kuccha programs are designed to be fast, funny, and passionate as presenters have time and slide limits to speak about a hot topics. The planning topics addressed were very relevant and thought provoking. The session most applicable to my interests in planning in Michigan was definitely the discussion of where developers are choosing to invest and suggestions for eliminating barriers to doing business led by a panel of real estate developers.

Overall, the sessions offer practical information and experiences from peers, not the typical history or theory often found in class. However, we, as students are not necessarily always familiar with the language and because of our limited experience we may miss information or have trouble filling in the gaps. Sometimes at the end of a session I would have quite a few questions, but I am hesitant to raise my hand and ask my basic question in a room full of experts. Regardless, I found that attending the sessions was extremely beneficial as they inspired ideas and provided relevant information on my future career track.

At conferences, the best activities for students, in my opinion, are the receptions. Although it is intimidating to stand in a room full of professionals; in these rooms, the networking opportunities are endless. Many of the professionals are colleagues who may have previously worked together, but there are plenty of others in the same boat as students, those who do not know anyone else and are looking to start up a conversation.

At first, I struggled to start up a conversation about a planning-related topic, but then I remembered that planners seem to enjoy chatting about anything, which opened up the room for me to be able to talk to other attendees without fear. The nametags are also really helpful in starting conversations since they include community names, and places of employment.

My goal of attending the conference receptions was to collect business cards—and I gathered quite a few throughout the evening from potential employers, colleagues and mentors. As a student, I do not carry business cards because I feel that it is my responsibility (as a seeker) to gather contact information and initiate communication with professionals. I take notes on the business cards I gather before adding them to my directory with the place of meeting, the conversation and any other significant details or opportunities. I have referred to my directory to set up job shadows and inquire about internship opportunities, and I plan on contacting others when I begin job hunting.

Overall, the 2014 MAP Conference was a valuable experience that contributed to my professional development and networking. I also enjoyed the opportunity to visit Mackinac Island and discuss planning-related issues with a fellow future planner, while exploring the island by bicycle. I am glad that I attended the Conference, and I look forward to attending them in the future as a professional.