Second year Master of Public Policy (MPP) student Emma Paynter recently received conference funding from the School of Public Policy (SPP) to attend the Southern New England APA Conference (SNEAPA). It is organized by the Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island Chapters of the American Planning Association (APA). The conference serves as an annual event that brings together over 500 planners, engineers, architects, students and other professionals.

After graduation Emma hopes to work in environmental policy, and her conference attendance provided an opportunity to build connections and learn from the experiences of regional planning professionals. Her “PP 5342 Policy Analysis” and “PP 5347 Applied Policy Issues” coursework provided her with the relevant skills needed to understand policies that dictated planning efforts in public spaces. This knowledge allowed her to dive deeper into the conference presentations. Amongst the variety of sessions Emma attended three stood out to her and included:

• Navigating leadership challenges across work disciplines on major projects
• Urban agriculture integration into the lived experiences of city dwellers and local farming networks
• Exploring the ins and outs of navigating suburban sprawl

This academic year Emma serves as Vice President of the Graduate Association of Public Policy Students – International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Chapter (GAPPS-ICMA). She is also completing her Internship and Professional Practice (IPP) placement with the Dean’s Office at UConn Hartford. Alongside her MPP Emma is also studying to finish a Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Environmental Planning and Management. She encourages other SPP students to,

Go to all opportunities that SPP provides to you especially if you are still figuring it all out. If you find you don’t like it, then that makes deciding what you to do want all that much easier. They are also fun ways to meet new people who share interests and can help you expand your network. The conference was easy to find, and people were friendly and helpful.

Attending SNEAPA provided Emma with tangible connections and ideas of what it is like to be a professional in the planning field. She felt as though her skills from current and upcoming SPP coursework will reinforce her candidacy to enter this corner of the workforce in 2025 and beyond. We wish Emma and the other SPP attendees the best as they join other members of our network who are making their impact in the world of planning!