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Grace Tilghman, a sustainable planning & urban design major from Washington D.C., graduated with an urban planning & design certificate from Columbia University GSAPP’s shape of two cities program. She plans to move to NYC to pursue a career in urban design.

We did it! Thank you to my classmates for inspiring me year after year to push myself, to create, and to ultimately be proud of my work and the time I spent in ENVD.

What inspired you to come to ENVD when choosing your school?
I have always been interested in sustainable city design. Finding ENVD, a program that teaches design practice but also emphasizes the importance of resilience and sustainability, was exactly what I wanted to get out of my training.

What is one of the greatest experiences or lessons from your time at ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder that you'll carry with you into the next chapter of your life?
One of the greatest lessons that I've learned from my time here is that you truly get out of school and specifically ENVD what you put into it. Summoning my motivation, dedicating time to improve my skills on my own time, and looking ahead at what I wanted out of my education and design work is what I can attribute some of my proudest moments too.

Based on what you know now, what is your best piece of advice for other students?
I would say that my best piece of advice would be to put your own spin on all of your projects and think about how all of your work will look and potentially be presented in the future. That said, it's equally important to have fun and not be too hard on yourself during the learning process. It's about finding the right balance.

Favorite memory?
My favorite memory was the APAS trip to the New Orleans Planning Conference that I got the opportunity to be a part of. This memory is shared with some of my best friends in ENVD and being able to explore a new city together, especially being planning students, was extremely fascinating and educational.

What does graduating from college represent for you?
For me, graduating represents a new start but also a newfound sense of confidence to pursue my goal of participating in resilient and sustainable city design. My hard work has paid off and I feel ready to put my knowledge to use!

What are your plans beyond graduation?
I plan on moving back to NYC to pursue a career in Urban Design!