Our Alumni
Hallie Wright (MUP '24)
In reflecting upon her time at UB, Hallie Wright says, "I had imposter syndrome coming into the program, since other students seemed to have an architectural or related background that gave them a good foundation, and Dr. Raja helped me realize my potential. Sketching outside in Kelly Gregg’s class is a skill I still use every day. And Matt Roland picked me for the Urban Land Institute’s Gerald D. Hines Student Urban Design competition...the entire program was a great learning experience."
Published October 2, 2024
By Darra Kubera
As the built environment professions mobilize in new ways to take on the complex challenges facing cities today—from the climate crisis to critical shortages in affordable housing—The University at Buffalo’s School of Architecture and Planning imagines all that's possible when we work together. That’s why we invited Hallie Wright (MUP ’24), preservation planner at Preservation Studios, to share her ideas, how she got involved in the community, and why she chose our school to help her advance a more equitable, resilient, and vibrant built environment for all.
“When looking at undergrad, I really didn’t know what I wanted to do with my career. I started as a ceramics major, changed to forensic anthropology, then ended up as a business major with a concentration in marketing.” Hallie says being a part of the MUP program was "the best two years ever."
Hallie says her path to where she is now was unconventional. “When looking at undergrad, I really didn’t know what I wanted to do with my career. I started as a ceramics major, changed to forensic anthropology, then ended up as a business major with a concentration in marketing.” Marketing turned out to be the right fit for Hallie, keeping her busy as she juggled freelance website design work, product photography, social media management, and working in sales. “I quickly realized I do not like sitting at a desk. Towards the end of my sales career, I started working in restaurants, and my plan was either to open a restaurant or go back to school.”
The next generation of advocacy planners.
When asked how she made the decision to attend UB, Hallie says “I never really knew planning was a career, but I was friends with someone who graduated from the Department of Urban and Regional Planning within the school and then went to work for the City of Buffalo. Growing up, my family fostered a love of history and an appreciation for historic buildings. The master’s in urban planning program intrigued that part of me, so even though I never considered myself an excellent student or a strong writer, I took my shot and applied.” Despite taking a “gap” and being slightly older than other students, Hallie says being a part of the program was “the best two years ever.”
Making the most of her time at UB, Hallie joined and later became President of GPSA (Graduate Planning Student Association). The mission of GPSA is to “cultivate graduate student excellence in academic study and equip students with the ability to interrogate instances of discrimination within the field. Through professional development and focus on community service, the GPSA aspires to prepare the next generation of advocacy planners.” As part of the GPSA, alongside the other elected officials, Hallie created and organized the BrewPrints event series—a coffee hour where alumni would visit the school to tell current students about their program experience and current day-to-day in their chosen career path. “The BrewPrints events were so rewarding, since a lot of students landed internships after networking with our speakers. And from day one in GPSA, I made a solid group of friends. I can’t recommend getting involved, whether in GPSA or another avenue at the school, enough. Those relationships are invaluable.”
Hallie says UB stands out in the academic community; “It’s due in large part to the faculty."
When asked why UB stands out in the academic community, Hallie says “It’s due in large part to the faculty. I had imposter syndrome coming into the program, since other students seemed to have an architectural or related background that gave them a good foundation, and Dr. Raja helped me realize my potential. Sketching outside in Kelly Gregg’s class is a skill I still use every day. And Matt Roland picked me for the Urban Land Institute’s Gerald D. Hines Student Urban Design competition. That’s an annual, graduate-level competition intended to provide an interdisciplinary learning experience for business and design students. It was really, really cool to be selected and have the chance to work with architecture and real estate students that I otherwise wouldn’t interact with. The entire program was a great learning experience.”
From volunteering at the Central Terminal to joining the Historic Preservation Committee for the Town of Amherst—Hallie is committed to helping Western New York communities reimagine improvement possibilities.
“I love that every day is different—whether that’s going on a site visit or doing historic research—finding and creating a building’s story and impacting the community is exciting work.”
From volunteering at the Central Terminal to joining the Historic Preservation Committee for the Town of Amherst—Hallie is committed to helping Western New York communities reimagine improvement possibilities. As a preservation planner, Hallie uses her marketing and sales background to manage her company’s social media and help attract new clients. “I love that every day is different—whether that’s going on a site visit or doing historic research—finding and creating a building’s story and impacting the community is exciting work.”
Alumni play a critical role in supporting our students as they navigate their pathways into the profession. If you want to share (or update) your story to help prepare the next generation of leaders, fill out this short form.