Hi all! I’m Ricky Cervantes, the new SDAPA Student Representative for San Diego State University. I am currently a graduate student in SDSU’s Master of City Planning program and expect to graduate Spring 2021. I am primarily interested in sustainable transportation, urban design, land use, and housing policy. During my studies, I have had the opportunity to work closely with staff as a research assistant on several active transportation projects. I performed statistical analysis for the 2019 Northwest Arkansas Trail Usage Monitoring Report, led data collection efforts for the most recent CicloSDias event, and have been in charge of monitoring and maintenance efforts for the university’s bicycle and pedestrian counter network this past year. In addition to my research work on campus, I served as President of the City Planning Association in the 2019-2020 academic year. During my tenure, I organized a delegation of graduate students’ attendance to the California APA Conference and created a biweekly newsletter connecting students with job opportunities, scholarships, and events. After graduation, I hope to work as a transportation planner and 

Outside of school and work, I enjoy following local politics, exercising, creating maps, binging Seinfeld episodes, listening to music, reading science fiction, and planning trips with my wife. In addition to regular travel, I have had the fortunate opportunity to live abroad. I spent a semester abroad in Czech Republic during my undergrad and taught English in South Korea in 2016. These experiences cemented my love for public transportation, played a major role in my decision to pursue a career in urban planning, and continues to inform my planning ideology. Growing up in the suburban sprawl of east Chula Vista provided exposure to different built forms and their impact on people’s quality-of-life. I aspire to merge my love of travel and my passion for planning by working on projects abroad someday, as well. After graduation, I hope to work as a transportation planner and contribute to projects both locally and abroad.