91探花

The son of artists from Vashon Island, Hayden Campbell majored in art history and marketing in college, thinking he would apply his talents in the advertising world.

But after several years in nonprofit marketing, Campbell says, he felt like something was still missing: 鈥淚 figured out that my interests were more in the realm of urban design and planning 鈥� improving space and the built environment, and in essence creating a third place for people to come together.鈥�

While Campbell was reevaluating his career path, he was also reflecting on Seattle鈥檚 uneven economic recovery. During the post-recession housing boom, he saw homelessness climb and noticed that some parts of the city were flourishing as others lagged behind.

鈥淚 wanted to find the best way to leverage the privilege I was born with for positive good,鈥� he says. 鈥淔ocusing on equity and social justice in the city is really important to me.鈥�

Laying the foundation for a new career

Campbell decided to apply to master鈥檚 programs in urban planning, ultimately landing on the 91探花. 鈥淭he 91探花has a great program, and it鈥檚 an exciting time to get this degree in this city,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut it was the character and quality of my cohort that were especially inspiring.鈥�

Campbell wanted to make the most of his time at the UW, and with the help of two scholarships, he has. The merit-based Urban Design and Planning Scholarship and a scholarship from the Myer R. Wolfe Endowed Fund have been 鈥渁n enormous relief,鈥� he says. 鈥淧ursuing a graduate degree is an enormous financial burden, and I am grateful to have been awarded these scholarships. This support is huge.鈥�

Turning motivation into action

Campbell hit the ground running when he arrived at the UW’s . He joined his department鈥檚 diversity committee, which brings students and faculty together to make the college more welcoming, inclusive and equitable for all students, from what they read to who they hear from.

Last year, the committee audited reading lists for all of the urban planning program鈥檚 core classes, noting the gender and ethnicity of authors, and shared the results with program faculty. 鈥淭hey may not make wholesale changes to their curriculum,鈥� says Campbell, 鈥渂ut it鈥檚 enough to have them say, 鈥楳aybe we need to take a look at that and update it.鈥欌��

The committee also brings to campus underrepresented voices in the urban design and planning field, broadening students鈥� perspectives and identifying challenges they may someday face. 鈥淲e invite planners and community engagers of color to come talk about projects they鈥檙e working on and the ways it may have been difficult for them to work in Seattle,鈥� says Campbell.

Beyond the classroom

In order to apply his education to helping local communities, Campbell began serving on his neighborhood鈥檚 land-use committee. 鈥淪o far I鈥檝e learned how the community engagement process works and how neighborhood associations can communicate with the city from a very grassroots level,鈥� he says.

With the goal of deepening the connection between his studies and the real world, Campbell began a yearlong graduate internship with the Seattle Department of Transportation over the summer. Working in the department鈥檚 street-use division, he reviews new building projects to make sure they鈥檙e safe and legal and don鈥檛 interfere with public use of city streets. It鈥檚 been a crash course in the nuances of Seattle鈥檚 municipal code, and it has also given him insight into his own career path.

鈥淚鈥檝e seen how good urbanism gets fought for at the city level: We鈥檙e trying to create larger, safer and more comfortable pedestrian spaces, a more connected and complete bike network, and affordable and reliable public transportation,鈥� Campbell says. 鈥淚鈥檝e come to understand the push and pull between academia and professional practice.鈥�

With graduation on the horizon in June 2019, Campbell looks forward to making a difference through his work. 鈥淚 hope to build a career promoting and implementing good urbanism,鈥� he says, 鈥渓everaging urban planning as a means to improve the health and livability for communities.鈥�