Jianhao (Felix) Zhou

Why did you choose Wagner for graduate school?

I was super excited about studying urban planning in New York City. Wagner has a great urban planning program with flexibility to take a variety of courses at other schools that benefit knowledge buildup of urban studies. Curricular practical training offers international students like me an opportunity to gain professional experience to complement my classes.

How did being in New York impact your professional journey?

A combination of being able to work during the day and take classes at night largely improved my learning curve. For an internship project or an academic paper, I could easily ask for guidance from both practitioners and scholars. 

How did you find your first post-Wagner job?

I started as an intern in the Planning Department of New York City Economic Development Corporation and landed a position in the Geographic Information Systems Unit one year later. I produce maps, provide web-based mapping support, and develop geospatial data analysis for citywide programs.