Urban Society and Social Change

Email: pdhaake@stanford.edu

Hometown: Davenport, Iowa

Year expecting to graduate: 2019

Year expecting to graduate: 2019

Concentration in Urban Studies: Urban Society and Social Change Urban Studies is my: major Why I'm majoring (or minoring) in Urban Studies:

I've always loved cities and this program gives me an incredible opportunity to study their designs and functions! Urban Studies combines many of my passions, such as education and criminal justice reform, and provides an excellent platform to examine equity in society.

Urban Studies brings together a wide array of students with varying interests who are all eager to work and learn together.

I want to explore how people and policy intersect in urban environments. I am especially interested in public policy, community organizations, and advocacy efforts.

I'm majoring in Urban Studies because by studying cities, we can begin to see the conglomeration and complexity of so many parts of humanity, gain insight into the notion of community, and understand the history and challenges of socioeconomic inequality.

Urban Studies provides a unique lens through which we can view cities, their policies, and how they have been socially constructed.

I decided to minor in Urban Studies to incorporate a more interpersonal and historical approach with my scientific background. I also believe that the future of sustainable development depends on the urban population, and thus studying urban social and political dynamics will help me develop a holistic understanding to the subject.

No matter how much we avoid them, our lives will be intertwined with cities and the amenities they offer.

Urban Studies uses an interdisciplinary approach to discuss solutions to problems we would otherwise accept.