Anna Stanley’s fall semester internship has come to a close, but we are incredibly proud of her and all that she’s done during her time here! Anna most enjoyed the people she worked with at REA and the opportunity to do intensive public engagement in her internship with us, namely two separate week-long charrettes. Anna, who comes from University of Cincinnati, was able to hone her skills during her stay with us, stating “This internship was a perfect blend of my love of design and policy. I got to see firsthand how policy can improve and influence design and make it a reality.” She was an integral part of one project in particular, the Portland Economic Redevelopment Plan, and was able to take part in every step of the planning process - from preliminary research to creation of the final plan itself.
Another highlight is her exceptional capstone project, “Can a City Feed Itself?” Anna harnessed the core values of REA by creating an in-depth study of what it would take to make Marion County, Indiana able to nutritionally sustain its population. Anna tapped into our firm’s belief in environmental stewardship; that human and ecological well-being and place-based ecology are guiding principles in every project we do.
The capstone project, and our internship program as a whole, is one of the ways in which we manifest two of our firm’s core values; life-long learning and contribution. Within our studio, we foster a learning environment where we prioritize teaching, mentoring, dialogue, research, technology, and an openness to learn. We also believe that each person’s contributions have purpose, no matter their experience level or length of tenure. That purpose also comes with a responsibility to treat the environment with care, to enhance the beauty of our surroundings, and contribute to the development of healthy, sustainable, and resilient communities.
Do you want to have your own formative experience with us? Learn more about our internship program and how to apply here.
