From Elon to Youngsville: Alumna Lucy Garcia’s journey in urban planning

Since graduating from Elon University in 2023 with a degree in environmental studies, Lucy Garcia’s career in urban planning has flourished. Starting as a planning specialist in Youngsville, North Carolina, Garcia’s strong foundation and hands-on experience led to a promotion within just one year to planning director.

Before graduation, Garcia worked as a student assistant in Elon’s Department of History & Geography, which helped her build skills essential for her career. A minor in geographic information systems (GIS) added to her qualifications, giving her proficiency in mapping – an indispensable skill in planning. Garcia advises students considering the minor that GIS instantly makes you more employable. Her studies also gave her an in-depth knowledge of North Carolina’s geography and community, which has proven essential in her role.

Garcia’s Elon education allowed her the flexibility to shape her studies and prepare uniquely for her career by building her own major. She remains grateful for the mentorship of several faculty members Ryan Kirk, Sandy Marshall, Nina Namaste, Megan Isaac, Lauren Guilmutte, Jacob Rutz, Danielle Lake, Marnia McIntyre and Michael Matthews.

Now navigating relationships with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and guiding development projects, Garcia plays a crucial role in ensuring developers meet local ordinances on property lines and landscaping. She finds that her youth offers an advantage in communicating with the community, explaining planning processes in ways that resonate with local residents. However, she has also observed some challenges. She notes that progress doesn’t always lend itself to a deeper sense of community, pointing to the disconnect that sometimes arise between development goals and neighborhood cohesion.

Garcia’s role goes beyond just regulations; she remains dedicated to building her community in other ways. On Nov. 8, she spoke at the West End Revitalization Association, a nonprofit focusing on environmental health and racial justice. Her engagement with this organization has not only inspired her professional role but also shaped her aspirations to work in planning with a broader social impact. As she considers future projects, Garcia is particularly interested in working with railway planning, envisioning a sustainable, efficient future for North Carolina’s transport network.

While Garcia’s career is on an upward trajectory, she faces challenges familiar to many young professionals, including managing a tight budget amid rising living costs. Her experience navigating these realities highlights the evolving demands of modern planning—a field in which her combination of expertise, empathy and ambition positions her as a rising leader in North Carolina’s urban landscape.