Department Alumni
Our alumni work in a variety of spatial planning and urban design careers. See what they have to say about our programs:
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“I chose to study my masters at CUPPA, first and foremost, for its well-rounded program. I was attracted to its comprehensive view towards planning and designing the urban environment. Once there, I was happy to realize that CUPPA’s strengths not only lie on its program, but on the networks and long-lasting relationships you create during your time there, with both professors and fellow students. Also, the fact that the program caters to many international students, like myself, enriches your vision of the world and expands your way of thinking about cities. And last but not least, due to the fact that it’s located in Chicago, one of the greatest cities in the world and the perfect place to study urban planning and design!”| Urban Design Associate at a91
“Earning my Master’s Degree from UIC’s Department of Urban Planning and Policy helped me develop an in-depth understanding of the Chicago metro region I needed to make me effective in my planning career and the professional contacts I needed to make it a reality. No other school gives you the same exposure and expertise in all things Chicago and fosters the innovation needed for Great Cities!”
| Project Manager at HNTB
“I value my MUPP education because I worked on project teams with a diverse range of people, personalities and professors. I had classes where some of the most prominent movers and shakers in Chicago were invited to speak informally about their lives and their work. It was an incredibly fascinating and challenging experience, My appreciation for UIC’s CUPPA program grows daily. “
| Principal, Wohlt Group
“Through UIC’s Department of Urban Planning and Policy, you will have the opportunity to establish a truly comprehensive framework to understand urban planning, which in nature one of the most complex and interdisciplinary field. With UPP’s outstanding faculty team, you will gain access to the full spectrum as well as subject-matter experts and researches that really can enable you deep dive into most interesting and profound urban planning issues. UIC’s UPP program is known for its balanced emphasis on both planning practices and academic research. I learned the theory of planning while having the chance to help out real community issues.”| Project Manager + Senior Planner at WATG
“What better place can you learn trending planning strategies and concepts than at UIC located in downtown Chicago. I was able to immerse myself with my classmates to see firsthand how new planning principles are shaping the cities we live. In the two short years I was in the MUPPs program, I traveled to China and helped redevelop the City of Shunda, created a masterplan for a dilapidated Chicago neighborhood with the help of two SOM (Skidmore, Owings & Merril) employees, study the reinvention of Cabrini Green, and most importantly live in one of the best planned cities in the world. You just can’t get any more real-life practice then at UIC MUPPs program!”
| Director of Landscape Architecture and Planning at Kovert Hawkins Architects Inc.