Orlando Martinez
Phoenix, Arizona
Geography
When you think "liberal arts education," you might not expect to accumulate work and professional experience. But, here I am, a senior geography major who has partnership experience with both community and government organizations.
It was daunting to think of developing something worthy of presenting to the Federal Reserve, housing developers, mortgage lenders and elected officials.
—Orlando Martinez |
I had an internship with the city of Roseville, Minn., in which a fellow student and I developed asset maps for their parks department using the latest GIS and GPS technologies. Working with a neighborhood nonprofit, the Phillips Community Energy Cooperative, my class and I identified Minneapolis residents who qualified for air conditioner and refrigerator replacement through a grant proposal to Xcel Energy, the local utilities company.
The Federal Reserve System (often referred to as "the Fed") was created by Congress in 1913 and is the central bank of the United States. There are 12 Federal Reserve Banks located in major cities throughout the nation,
including the Twin Cities.
The Macalester Geography Department has a partnership with the Community Affairs Department of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. In my junior year I took Advanced Urban GIS and worked with the bank to catalog zoning requirements for municipalities in the seven-county metropolitan area. My classmates and I explored the prevalence of exclusionary zoning, in which zoning restrictions segregate disenfranchised residents.
It was daunting to think of developing something worthy of presenting to the Federal Reserve, housing developers, mortgage lenders and elected officials. What I found, however, was that years of GIS classes, group projects, class presentations and on-campus employment had provided me a strong foundation. What I lacked, I soon learned. I learned how to compile original data from a zoning survey, I sharpened my cartographic abilities by mapping building permits, and I learned how to give a professional presentation. I worked with a client and provided a finished product of practical value.
Using Macalester's urban setting as part of the classroom allowed me to apply what I learned to "the real world," and I am grateful for the
experience.
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