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Michelle Arthur
For Michelle, obtaining a graduate diploma in urban studies was a route to not only better career opportunities, but also a way to increase her capacity to contribute to the conversations about urban issues going on all around her. Michelle鈥檚 undergraduate degree was in geography and political science and she had also studied urban planning at UBC, but by the time she entered SFU鈥檚 Urban Studies Program, she had been working at the City of Vancouver for ten years. 鈥淎t that point I felt a bit stuck in my career and in myself too. So, I did it for more than just professional growth.鈥�
One of Michelle鈥檚 passions is for transportation planning and she found that in that area, her graduate studies 鈥渙pened up doors she had never dreamed of.鈥� She was working for the city and taking a course in transportation issues while preparations for the 2010 Winter Olympics were underway. Because she had been talking about the course at work, she was recommended to be on the City of Vancouver鈥檚 olympic transportation team and ended up as transportation coordinator for Athlete鈥檚 Village. That led to similar opportunities at London鈥檚 2012 Olympic games, the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the 2015 PanAm games in Toronto.
While studying in the program, Michelle worked in various positions in records management and freedom of information (FOI) at the City of Vancouver and she is now a senior FOI analyst. Michelle enjoys her work because she has a strong commitment to transparency and believes it contributes to better governance. 鈥淚 agree with trying to make as much public as possible. That鈥檚 always been something that鈥檚 interested me. I think it improves people鈥檚 vision of the city,鈥� she says. Michelle adds that the graduate diploma in urban studies is a good option for those who can鈥檛 or don't want to take on the commitment required to do a full-length research project, such as a thesis, but who still want to broaden their horizons and opportunities. 鈥淭he Urban Studies Program is not just about planning positions,鈥� she notes. 鈥淚t helped reawaken my mind to possibilities.鈥�