Nov. 3, 2009 issue
As president of Washtenaw Development Council in Ann Arbor, I had a lot
of Eastern Michigan University graduate students from the planning program
who worked as interns in my office. I was always really impressed with
the mix of skill and practicality they brought to the job. I wanted first
crack at the best talent, and I thought it would be fun to be part of
the students' education process. So, 10 years ago, I began teaching an
urban planning and economic development course at EMU.
Teaching makes me keep thinking about the philosophical reasons of why
I'm involved in the field of urban planning and economic development.
If I'm going to encourage people to go into this field, I want to make
sure that what I'm teaching is relevant and current. When I teach, I keep
digging into what is the newest and best way to engage my students in
the subject. I find that I really learn a lot from the students' questions.
In my urban planning and economic development course, I focus a lot on
data analysis. I teach the students how to interpret secondary economic
information, such as census data, and use it to make decisions and recommend
programs.
A few years ago, I began working with my students on how to use traditional
economic development analysis tools in a new way in the agricultural field.
We started trying to tease out niches that would strengthen Michigan's
agricultural economy, such as processing foods that are grown here. It
has been fascinating for me and my students to look for new opportunities
for the area. They have seen some possibilities that I wouldn't have noticed.
Now, in my dual roles as an EMU lecturer and executive director of the
Legacy Land Conservancy (formerly the Washtenaw Land Trust
and now serves Washtenaw and Jackson counties), I try to
stay in touch with my students after they graduate. It's
so gratifying to watch them as they move through their
career. I enjoy seeing them take the things they've learned in
college and grow into their professional roles. — Contributed
by Lisa Donovan
