Sustainable Scandinavian Pursuits: Zsalina Allen ’23 MS Urban Planning
Master of Urban Planning Student Zsalina Allen on Studying Abroad and the CAPLA Experience
“A study abroad program is a great way to expand your perspective and knowledge while also expanding invaluable personal skills such as communication and leadership abilities.”
This summer, Master of Science in Urban Planning student Zsalina Allen participated in Portland State University’s Sustainable Transportation study abroad program in Denmark and Sweden. She documented her travels in a fascinating, entertaining and image-rich blog.
We followed up with Allen, who is originally from Haddon Heights, New Jersey, and earned her undergraduate degree in Applied Humanities: Spatial Organization and Designing Thinking from the University of Arizona, to learn more about her experience in Scandinavia—as well as how that experience will inform her Master’s in Urban Planning at CAPLA.
The Copenhagen, Denmark skyline. Photo by Zsalina Allen.
Why did you opt to participate in a study abroad program in Denmark and Sweden?
I have been learning Swedish for the past year and would like to work abroad in the future. Since the planning field can be country-specific, with various design and regulation standards, it was important that I learned about their planning practices firsthand. Additionally, I wanted to broaden my knowledge and perspective about the world and other cultures since multicultural competence is imperative in both academic and non-academic environments.
Was the blog a requirement of the program?
While the formal blog was a requirement of the program, I have been informally blogging about my graduate school experience and journey. I know I would have kept one anyway since it is a great way to document your journey for yourself and to share it with others.
Zsalina Allen '23 MSUP by Copenhagen's The Little Mermaid statue, which was created in 1913. Photo courtesy Zsalina Allen.
What was most interesting about the destinations you traveled to?
One of the most interesting things about both Sweden and Denmark that I found is how they promote exposure to a sustainable lifestyle early on in children’s lives, as well as their ongoing high commitment to sustainable living, practices and planning in various different aspects. One example of this was when we got to visit the Trafiklegepladsen in Copenhagen, where children go to learn the rules of the road and are able to bike around a miniature, simulated “town” equipped with child-sized signs, traffic lights and roundabouts, enforcing the bicycle culture Denmark is known for from an early age.
How will the study abroad program inform the rest of your time at CAPLA, and your overall interests in urban planning?
I believe that this study abroad program was a great supplement to my academic career at CAPLA because it allowed me to apply what I learned in my coursework to the sustainable transportation efforts in Scandinavia. The program also gave me the opportunity to witness planning firsthand in other settings. Moving forward in my studies, this experience has given me the chance to compare and contrast planning efforts in different environments and countries as well as helped me narrow down my interests in the field.
A street in Stockholm, Sweden's Old Town, Gamla Stan. Photo by Zsalina Allen.
How will the study abroad program inform the direction you would like to take with your career?
After I graduate, I hope to be able to return to Scandinavia to work and live there. This will allow me to become fully immersed in the planning and sustainability field there to further expand upon the observations I made during my trip as well as supplement the technical knowledge I gained during my time in the MSUP program.
What advice do you have for other students interested in studying abroad while in graduate school?
Go for it! A study abroad program is a great way to expand your perspective and knowledge while also expanding invaluable personal skills such as communication and leadership abilities. I would also say that, depending on where you go, you may not need to learn the language—but it doesn’t hurt to learn a few basic phrases. It will go a long way!
Turning now to your MS Urban Planning experience, what course at CAPLA have you so far found to be most beneficial to your studies in urban planning?
So far I really enjoyed the Introduction to GIS class we took our first semester. In this course, we learned how to make maps and display information visually. Personally, I’m drawn to the design aspects of urban planning and found this course to be a great opportunity to learn how to creatively but effectively express data.
Copenhagen's Kastellet, an earthen-work star fortress built in 1664. Photo by Zsalina Allen.
What advice do you have for prospective students interested in studying urban planning at UArizona?
Don’t be afraid to pursue urban planning, even if you don’t have a related undergraduate degree! Urban planning can be related to virtually any field and the UArizona Urban Planning program is so diverse, with people coming from all different backgrounds and perspectives, which creates a dynamic, well-rounded environment.
What does the CAPLA experience mean for you?
To me, CAPLA is a place that I have been able to expand upon my knowledge as well as grow more as an individual. Through my coursework I have been able to further develop my interests among supportive peers and faculty who foster a great community and network. While it can be challenging, the rewards are well worth it in this hands-on, unique environment.
Learn more about the UArizona Master's in Urban Planning program.
