Sarah Halle

How did you find your current job?
Through a Weitzman alum! I was connected with her based upon similar interests, particularly around disaster resilience and hazard mitigation planning.

What kind of work are you doing?
I am a hazard mitigation planner at Michael Baker International in Chicago, currently working on a federal community engagement and risk communications contract. The position combines a lot of different disciplines – land use and environmental planning, mapping, community engagement, report writing, plan reviews, and so on.

What attracted you to the firm or job?
The position combines all of my interests. I was a Community and Economic Development concentration at the Weitzman School, so I wanted to be sure to continue working closely with communities. My job allows me to do both technical planning work while also allowing me to be on the ground in communities, building relationships with people.

How did your education at the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design prepare you for your current tasks?
Not only did the Weitzman School provide the technical knowledge that I use every day, it also challenged me to think differently. I learned how to approach problems, and projects, more holistically; considering the process and the outcomes rather than just the inputs.

Are there specific courses and instructors that influenced you philosophically?
I think all of my instructors influenced me positively in one way or another. Introduction to CED with Lisa Servon was such a great way to start my education at the Weitzman School. The GIS courses that I took with Dana Tomlin challenged me to think critically, beyond just learning the software’s functionality.

Any top moment(s) of your education here?
Oh goodness, so many top moments. I think that Workshop was such a pivotal experience. I learned so much, and even though it was difficult at times, I gained skills that I use every day. And, can I say happy hour? It was so great to have a time to decompress with friends on the Meyerson patio on Friday afternoons.

What’s next?
Continuing to learn and grow in the resilience and hazard mitigation planning space. There’s so much innovation in this area of planning, and I’m excited to be a part of it.

Are you keeping in touch with others from your class/the Penn community?
I definitely am! I am so lucky to have made such great friendships while at Penn, and even luckier to be able to stay in touch with many of my Penn classmates.

Any words of advice for prospective students?
I’d suggest taking advantage of the clubs and extracurriculars available at the Weitzman School. For example, I was a copy editor for Panorama, the Penn Planning student journal. Being a part of the Panorama team, and watching the journal come to life with the exceptional pieces written by my peers, was inspiring.