Name: Sarah Allison
Where were you born and where do you call home?
I was born in Waco, Texas (yes, yes, many jokes to be made, I know). Because my family is spread out all over the country, home is where my cats are – so Eugene!
If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpower to be?
I have always wanted to be able to read minds. I hate guessing what people are thinking.
In which graduate program are you enrolled?
I am working on my Master’s of Community and Regional Planning (CRP) and the Oregon Leadership in Sustainability (OLIS) Certificate. My focus is on community resilience.
What are you doing for the Community Service Center (CSC)?
I am working with the Community Planning Workshop (CPW) and the Oregon Partnership for Disaster Resilience (OPDR) as a project manager for a team of graduate students.
What project are you working on?
My project is the City of Madras Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan/Comprehensive Plan Integration project. This project will take two plans – one focused on how to prepare for natural hazards, and one focused on how land is used in the city – and merge certain aspects, so that hazards are more clearly considered when deciding what land uses are appropriate for certain areas. We will work on how best to integrate the plans by looking at what other cities have done, and by working with the community of Madras through a steering committee, survey, work session and public forum. The team will also develop educational materials to explain the plans and regulations to Madras residents.
What are some of the outcomes are you hoping to gain when your project ends?
This project is breaking new ground in terms of bringing these plans together within the framework of Oregon land use policies, so I hope that many people will benefit from this project. For the City of Madras, I hope that the plan itself will help to protect people from disasters, and that we lay the foundation for the community to embrace the plan. I hope that the project will serve as a model for other cities in Oregon to integrate their plans. Personally, I am excited to learn more about the procedure for working with and adapting land use policies.
How does your involvement with the Community Service Center relate to or inform your education?
My work with the CSC has been a huge part of my education. Learning by doing is by far the most effective for me, and I have been able to apply classroom learning throughout my projects. The range of projects, from natural hazards to parks planning has also provided great experience. The staff at the CSC have also been amazing, offering priceless guidance and insights.
What advice would you give to your younger self just beginning the CSC program?
Take care of yourself. Remember that you are a complete person with physical, mental and emotional needs. Don’t let those slide.
Vanilla or chocolate ice cream?
Well, chocolate over vanilla, but really coffee or mint.
Where can we ‘cyber-stalk’ you?
Blog: https://blogs.uoregon.edu/cscenter/tag/sarah-allison
LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com/in/sarahallison
