Intern Spotlight: Michael Okechukwu

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Intern Spotlight: Michael Okechukwu

Since 2020, Forward Pinellas has partnered with the University of South Florida’s Department of Urban and Regional Planning each academic year to provide support for an internship position to a Masters student. In doing so, Forward Pinellas supports the Tampa Bay region’s largest institution of higher education and provides the opportunity to explore a career in land use and transportation planning in our county filled with unique challenges as a highly urban coastal county focused on redevelopment.

For the Fall 2024-2025 academic year, Forward Pinellas selected Michael Okechukwu as our intern.

Michael Okechukwu is an international student from Lagos, Nigeria who arrived to Florida highly motivated and ready to apply himself. Since he began his internship, Michael has assisted both with land use and transportation projects, becoming versed in land development regulations, gaining exposure to transportation data analysis and strengthening his Geographic Information Systems (GIS) skills. He will continue to work with Forward Pinellas for the second year of his Masters program, but will work with a private planning firm for the summer to bolster his planning experiences and perspectives. Michael provides his reflections on his internship experience so far.

Building Tomorrow: Reflections on my First Year as Forward Pinellas Intern

I am filled with gratitude for an experience that has reshaped my understanding of planning (and yes, my coffee consumption has reached record heights!). This journey has taught me that planning is people-centric. Effective planning is about using data to back our ideas, engaging with the community every step of the way, and communicating complex concepts in simple terms.

A standout moment for me was participating in the kickoff of local government assistance projects to implement recommendations from the Gateway Master Plan. It was the first time I saw a plan actually being put into action, rather than collecting dust on a shelf as I have seen before my internship. I loved witnessing the symbiosis between stakeholders with everyone working together to move things forward. For me, it was a clear statement that plans do come to life!

This internship has refined my path as a scholar and a future professional by pushing me to think quickly, both in academic settings and in real-world projects, preparing me for a fast-paced career in planning. Key skills I developed are the ability to find, synthesize, interpret, and visualize data to support planning decisions. Notably, I worked on a GIS Dashboard to depict land development data in the Gateway area, mixed-use regulations for our local governments, and analyzed ridership data for our region’s waterborne transportation services.

The most rewarding part of this experience has been working alongside some of the brightest minds in the field. As the old adage goes, “walk with the wise and you will be wise,” and my mentors at Forward Pinellas have exemplified that wisdom every step of the way.

To future planning interns…

My advice is simple: be fluid, adaptable, and proactive. Embrace every chance to learn, contribute, and connect with people who are shaping our industry. As the Executive Director of Forward Pinellas, Whit Blanton, once said, “we are planning for a future that we ourselves may never see.” This is a reminder that our work is both timeless and transformative. I am excited to build on the strong foundation this first year has set, knowing that this is just the beginning of a fulfilling journey in the planningdom.