Andrew Dawson

Hometown:
Albany, NY

Undergraduate Degree:
SUNY Geneseo, BA Geography, 2004

Favorite City:
Paris

Planning Concentration:
Land Use and Environmental Planning

How did you get interested in planning?
Initially from staring at road maps on family trips in the 80s...then probably from playing too much SimCity in the 90s...until ultimately becoming extremely frustrated trying to commute to my job in the 00s. Also, I've always been spatially oriented. I have to know where I am and where I'm heading - and get anxious if I lose true north.

What was your background prior to coming to Penn?
I went to an upstate New York liberal arts college, then went to work for an investment firm, something completely unexpected with my degree. Four years of that burned me out and made me decide to get back to my real interests, in a field that lets me better utilize the creative side of my brain.

Why did you choose Penn to study city planning?
I chose Penn because I didn't choose anywhere else. I was living in Philadelphia, across the river from school, and looked into the program when I was considering leaving my job. It was the only program I applied to, because at the time I wasn't sure I was ready to change careers. Once I was accepted I knew it was time to go.

What has been your favorite class so far?
Growth Management with Tom Daniels really helped to focus my interests in planning. Through learning about why we need growth management, and what we can do to control our excessive growth patterns, I realized that I would really enjoy working with suburban communities trying to realign themselves within a larger metropolitan role. I was also lucky enough to be put on a workshop project that focused specifically on a suburban retrofit redevelopment plan.

Are you involved in any planning related activities?
Member of SPA, and I hang out with the EPED and UrbTrans kids.

What are your career ambitions?
The answer is sprawl. I'd like to be on the front lines controlling and shaping it back - ideally in mountain environments, where I can plan ski resorts in my spare time.