Drew is an urban planner and Associate Director at the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation, a 501(c)(3) with a mission to “develop the Buffalo Central Terminal—a majestic historic landmark—as a lasting cultural and economic hub for the community.” She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a concentration in public policy from ɫҹ University (2016), and a Master of Urban Planning from the University at Buffalo with a concentration in environmental planning (2020).
How did studying political science at ɫҹ influence your career trajectory?
I was a more nontraditional political science major. I bounced around a few majors, I even think I was in criminal justice…for literally one day [laughs]. After getting involved in social justice movements on campus, I decided that I should take the classes I’m interested in most, and the career piece would come [from this]. I remember that I had a great public policy class the summer before my senior year with Dr. Daniel Hawes; it made me realize that everything [all the issues we see in society] relates back to a public policy decision. The class really focused on the policy decisions that led up to the Great Recession and that really resonated with me, having grown up in a neighborhood hit hard by the foreclosure crisis. As a kid I didn’t understand the larger mechanisms at play; I just saw the families of my friends moving away and their homes staying empty. I switched my major right after that class.
I also remember that Dr. Mark Cassell taught a class where he brought in professionals working in different political science or political science-adjacent fields each week. I credit his class with connecting me to Policy Matters Ohio, where I had my first internship experience.
Why did you choose to go into urban planning?
After I graduated from Kent, I spent two years in the AmeriCorps VISTA Program, first as a grant writer with the East Akron Neighborhood Development Corporation (EANDC), and then as a VISTA Leader with the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation (YNDC). My time in Youngstown really changed my life. It was incredible to see these younger urban planners, mostly in their 30s, truly building community and making a huge impact on the revitalization of the city. And I knew this is what I wanted to do. I see urban planners as the connectors, bringing the community, elected officials, engineers and architects all together to collaborate on projects. It’s my role to work with the community to identify priorities in the planning phases of a project, find partners who will share those priorities, and finally help realize them.
What excites you about your current position?
Being able to have a tangible impact on the future of Buffalo. I remember seeing the Terminal on my first tour of Buffalo, after deciding to get my master’s at the University at Buffalo on the advice of my mentor. I fell in love with potential of this building and with this vibrant city. Now, I’ve come full circle and work every day to realize this potential, transforming this huge, vacant architectural gem into a hub for the community.
The Central Terminal Restoration Corporation was founded in 1997 by preservation enthusiasts and ran completely on volunteer power for over 20 years. In 2019 we were able to bring on staff with East Side Avenues funding— an initiative to spur economic development on Buffalo’s East Side after decades of white supremacist urban renewal policies that created severe segregation, poverty, and decline.
We spent a year developing a shared vision for the future of the Terminal with our neighbors in our Master Plan. And just this summer we received $61M in public and philanthropic funding to implement that plan and kick-start reuse. In the next year we’ll start stabilization work on the building and select development partners (private sector investment) to develop the larger Buffalo Central Terminal historic campus.
What do you wish people outside of political science knew about the field?
That it’s not all about elected office. There are so many other professionals involved in political science, like urban planners, who can make a big impact on communities by being a part of the decision making process.
You can find more about Drew’s current work here: . This interview was conducted by Kate Jurak, Program Coordinator for ɫҹ Political Science, on 12/8/2022, and edited for clarity and length.