Before coming to Taubman College, Dylan Vaughn-Jansen, M.U.R.P. ’23, was a geospatial analyst for an environmental planning company. “I worked for planners and decided I wanted to do what they do. It’s about breaking down critical factors of how our communities work into understandable pieces. I enjoy making the abstract more concrete,” he says.

While serving in the military, he lived in a town where “there was no curbside recycling, definitely no compost.” He and his wife drove an hour and a half away every few weeks with a trunk full of bottles and cans to the nearest recycling center. It opened his eyes to the fact that there were communities that still needed assistance regarding environmental policies.

Now pursuing the environmental and land use concentration, he hopes to combine urban planning with his passion for sustainability and find an environmental non-profit where he can do ecological impact assessment. “The faculty has been incredibly supportive,” he says. “I was very intimidated, feeling like I would be struggling to stay afloat. Instead, every faculty member has offered me encouragement or assistance at some point.”

He also has the support of the Dennis D. and Kathleen L. Mele Endowed Urban Planning Scholarship. He’s grateful for the GI Bill covering his tuition, and the scholarship has helped him with books, supplies, living expenses, and other necessities for pursuing his degree. “It’s incredibly helpful to have that additional aid, and I want donors to know they are making a difference for students who need the assistance,” he says.

A gift to Taubman College supports the next generation of leaders in architecture and planning — including Dylan.