REU Project

In the Western part of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, there have been efforts made to integrate a "sense of place" into economic development. My study will explore how the particular "sense of place" is constructed in the Western U.P. First, local residents will be interviewed and engaged in a process of cognitive mapping to better understand their construction of the community. Second, the study will explore the economic "sense of place" and how it is integrated into a concrete method for local economic development. Third, the economic opportunities to utilize this "sense of place" and its applications will be explored, in order to assess the viability of economic development and its potential impact on the community. The purpose of this case study is to better understand a rural communities "sense of place" and whether the economic applications of place-based growth can foster a more sustainable rural community.

Personal Information
I am originally from Oakland, Maine, a town of about seven thousand in the Belgrade Lakes Region in central Maine. Now my family resides in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, so I am learning to appreciate the beautiful Midwest. I will be a senior in the fall at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. I am double majoring in Economics and Urban Studies, and am particularly interested in the social effects of economic policy.
Personally, I enjoy traveling, learning about cities and exploring new places, and making new friendships. I also enjoy singing, water sports and boating, and playing basketball. At Trinity, I have been involved with a number of leadership activities, a few honors societies, hold a work study job, and have been a part of the Trinity women's basketball team (both playing and managing). Along with my peers in the Urban Studies major (the Urban Studs), I will be leading an orientation to the city of San Antonio for first year students this August. I have an amazing and large family, and a very small Maltese dog named Zoe.
I became interested in issues of sustainability during my fall 2005 semester, when I traveled with the International Honors Program (IHP) on a comparative program studying cities along the theme "Cities in the 21st Century." During my travels to New York City, Buenos Aires, Beijing, Shanghai, and Auckland, I was exposed to distinct challenges to sustainability in urban systems at different stages of development. This summer's REU program provides a unique opportunity to study sustainability challenges faced by a rural community—an interesting contrast to difficulties cities face. Hopefully the balance of studying urban, rural, economic, and social issues will inspire some personal insights on how to create policy solutions that will contribute to a more sustainable future.