Jorge Fuentes ’28 Urban Planner at Houston Public Works
By Jorge Fuentes ’28
Over the summer, I interned with Houston Public Works on the Multimodal Safety and Design team, which focuses on roadway safety, climate resilience, and equitable accessibility. I contributed to projects such as a tree canopy analysis for roadways, a light rail line proposal, and the design of a mini park. These projects allowed me to apply tools like GIS for data-driven planning, InDesign and Photoshop for public-facing reports, and SketchUp for visualizing design concepts.
Through this experience, I discovered a passion for equitable, community centered urban design that is both sustainable and practical. My favorite moments were collaborating with my team sharing ideas, refining proposals, and creating unified visions that serve the people of Houston. This internship strengthened my technical skills, deepened my interest in urban design, and confirmed my aspiration to pursue a career where design directly improves quality of life.
Internship funded by Peter Buck Internship Fund