{"id":146206,"date":"2025-11-04T09:40:53","date_gmt":"2025-11-04T15:40:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/news\/?p=146206"},"modified":"2025-11-11T08:14:11","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T14:14:11","slug":"community-service-work-grounds-urban-planning-student-in-her-career-pursuit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/news\/community-service-work-grounds-urban-planning-student-in-her-career-pursuit\/","title":{"rendered":"Community service work grounds urban planning student in her career pursuit"},"content":{"rendered":"

Elaina Rodriguez always had an interest in health care, but knew she didn\u2019t want to be a nurse or doctor. Instead, she saw herself using her bilingual English-Spanish skills in administrative work and followed that vision to a bachelor\u2019s degree in health care administration from Carroll University in 2023.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did my undergrad during the Covid-19 pandemic, and there were a lot of conversations about the connection between health care and affordable housing. After all, access to health care depends largely on community design,\u201d she said. \u201cI spent a lot of time considering how public health affects community development.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was the spark of what would lead Rodriguez to UW-Milwaukee’s Master of Urban Planning program. She was attracted to the curriculum.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I saw that the program leaned heavily into learning how to engage with one\u2019s community to make sure everyone\u2019s voices are heard \u2014 I was interested,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Planning for health, building for equity<\/h2>\n

Rodriguez entered the MUP program as a Welford Sanders scholar, receiving a university scholarship that honors the late 51ÁÔÆæ faculty member who spearheaded the development of Milwaukee\u2019s Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.<\/p>\n

She also interned at Habitat for Humanity of Waukesha & Jefferson Counties<\/a>. There, she worked with homeowners, subcontractors and the state Department of Health Services to remove lead from the organization\u2019s affiliate houses.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s directly tied into what I\u2019m studying:\u202fhow health care and life relate,\u201d Rodriguez said. \u201cThe lead abatement program is new, and it\u2019s all about considering how where you live affects your health outcomes \u2026 how long you live, infant and child mortality, and even day-to-day quality of life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Forging connections<\/h2>\n

The thought Rodriguez brings to her studies is also evident in her extracurricular activities. She has volunteered with Best Buddies since her time at Carroll and continues to do so at UW-Milwaukee. The program fosters the development of close friendships with individuals with developmental disabilities.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve had my buddy since sophomore or junior year of undergrad and see him regularly,\u201d Rodriguez said. \u201cAnd then I have all kinds of informal buddies that I hang out with. We do dinner, Brewers and Admirals games, mini-golfing … You don\u2019t realize the huge impact you can have on a buddy until you are fully invested in the organization.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rodriguez also created bridges at UW-Milwaukee, where she was an officer of the Milwaukee Student Planning Association<\/a>. The organization provides opportunities for student members to attend planning-related conferences and lectures, propose solutions to real urban planning issues, and network with other students and professionals in the field.<\/p>\n

As Rodriguez looks ahead to life after graduation, she\u2019s excited to keep building on her core passion: \u201cEngaging in community and making sure everyone\u2019s voice is heard.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Elaina Rodriguez is a master of urban planning student at 51ÁÔÆæ whose commitment to volunteering and the community informs her education and career goals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15092,"featured_media":146207,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","uwm_wg_additional_authors":[]},"categories":[174,361],"tags":[],"section":[258,127],"display_categories":[352,115,116],"related-coverage":[260,362],"uwmnews-feed":[344,153,144,146],"class_list":["post-146206","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-waves-stories","section-architecture","section-arts-humanities","display_categories-top-story-tertiary","display_categories-top-story-secondary","display_categories-top-story-section","related-coverage-community-engagement","related-coverage-make-new-waves","uwmnews-feed-arts-architecture","uwmnews-feed-graduate","uwmnews-feed-architecture-urban-planning","uwmnews-feed-urban-planning"],"yoast_head":"\n51ÁÔÆæ student links urban planning to public health 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