At UMKC, students write their own stories, form their own definitions of success and chart innovative career paths. Aaron Beckman, from Omaha, Nebraska, came to UMKC to build his future as an Urban Planning + Design student and has made connections and taken part in research projects in the process.

Aaron Beckman

Anticipated graduation: 2025

UMKC degree program: Urban Planning + Design

Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska

Why did you choose UMKC?

UMKC offers an accredited urban planning program, which was an important factor to me when it came to deciding where to attend college. Plus, no other colleges offered the program at an affordable cost with outstanding faculty and staff close to home. I knew attending a college in the heart of Kansas City would significantly enhance my college experience.

Why did you choose Urban Planning + Design?

The urban planning + design field combines a lot of my interest, such as history, politics and geography. I also like that you get to make an impact by helping people solve issues through policy.

What are the benefits of the program?

The faculty and staff are definitely a huge benefit of the program. The faculty is diverse, and everyone has their own niche area of expertise. For example, Professor Julia Crowley focuses on environmental planning while Professor Jacob Wagner is more focused on history, people and community. Each professor having a different area of expertise makes the urban planning and design program well-rounded.

How has your program inspired you?

I’d say it has inspired me to go out and talk to people more. Just being out on the field and learning about the impact you can have on community; it has showed me the importance of interacting with people to find out more about their concerns.

What do you hope to take from your experience from UMKC into your professional career?

There are a lot of amazing connections here, specifically with the resources that the faculty provide you. 

One of my recent research opportunities came through one of my professors. I was working closely with Professor Sungyop Kim when he asked me to help him with a project he was working on for the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT).

We examined bridge conditions, specifically in rural Missouri as a lot of the infrastructure there had not been updated or maintained properly. We did background research on how other state departments of transportation were managing their assets and did field work an hour north of Kansas City by scanning bridges using Lidar, which is a software that creates a 3D model of the bridge. A program was then created by the computer science department to serve as a tool to access the quality of the bridges by simply scanning them, saving MoDOT time, money and resources.

What is one word that describes you?

Focused. I’m a very detail-oriented person and like to make sure every little thing is accounted for.

What is your favorite spot in Kansas City?

I really like the Nelson-Atkins lawn. It’s especially nice when the weather is warm because you can just lay out a blanket and have a picnic.

Do you see yourself staying in Kansas City after graduation?

Yes, that is the goal. I have family here. The job opportunities are also really good, especially with how connected the urban planning community is.