Matt Lutkins Awarded the 2025 Initiative on Cities Student Prize

The Initiative on Cities (IOC) is elated to announce that Matt Lutkins (CAS ’25) has been awarded the IOC Student Prize for the 2025 school year. The $1,000 prize is presented annually to one BU senior graduating with a minor in Urban Studies. We asked Matt to introduce himself and describe his experience as a Terrier and as an Urban Studies minor.

Introduce yourself! What did you study? What were some things you were involved in as a college student? What do you like to do for fun?

Hello fellow urbanists! My name is Matt Lutkins, and I’m a graduating senior in the College of Arts and Sciences majoring in Sociology and Economics, with minors in Urban Studies and Public Policy Analysis. I grew up in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, a small, peaceful suburb near the capital city of Harrisburg. Before coming to BU, Urban Studies was not something I had the opportunity to study. The subjects I studied in high school vastly differed from what I’m pursuing now. Because of this, I initially felt that I lacked a deeper understanding of the pressing issues affecting cities, neighborhoods, and communities across the United States, including nearby Harrisburg.

Upon arriving at BU, I was eager to learn more about socioeconomic inequality and class stratification and immerse myself in this study area. Throughout my time here, I’ve taken various courses that have deepened my understanding of urban issues. I’ve also participated in many organizations that have given me valuable experiential knowledge in Urban Studies, Planning, and Policy. I serve as the President of the College of Arts and Sciences Student Government, where I help oversee initiatives and plan events to improve our school and campus community. Additionally, I am the President of the Undergraduate Sociology Association, where I’ve hosted events, facilitated professor talks, and welcomed fellow scholars to share their research.

I also ran the 2024 Boston Marathon for Back on My Feet, a nonprofit organization that uses exercise to combat homelessness. During my training, I raised over $10,000 for disadvantaged populations in Boston and across the United States. As part of this effort, I had in-depth conversations with people who had previously experienced homelessness, allowing me to understand better how urban environments can exacerbate their struggles. This experience underscored how cities like Boston and Harrisburg, despite being rich in history, culture, and growth opportunities, often lack the resources to ensure those opportunities are accessible to all residents. 

Outside of academics, I enjoy running along the Esplanade with friends and trying out new restaurants around the city. I’m also a concert photographer, so I love exploring new music and attending local concerts to discover new artists. On warmer days, I enjoy sitting in Boston Common or nearby parks and reading a book in the grass. I also enjoy baking, gardening, and traveling!

Why did you decide to minor in urban studies? What inspired you to add urban studies, and what have you learned from your urban studies minor?

The deciding factor that pushed me to take the Urban Studies minor was a Sociology course, Boston’s People and Neighborhoods, taught by Professor Jill Walsh. We explored five different neighborhoods in Boston and learned from local planners about their intentions to revitalize decrepit buildings into newly formed social spaces, turning unused concrete into communal gardens and condemned apartments into offices. I was enlightened and a bit disheartened to learn about the disruptions gentrification has caused in communities across a city I now consider home.

We also went on bi-weekly field trips and tours of neighborhoods I had never visited. It was a fascinating experience to act as an ethnographic learner in a city with such a rich and layered history. This course also helped bring into focus many of my other Urban Studies-related interests. I’ve conducted various econometric and political science research projects, examining how government investment affects crime rates and how urbanization influences voter turnout. I even studied abroad in Padua, Italy, which sparked a long-lasting curiosity to explore and analyze cities across the world. 

Through all of these experiences, I’ve learned the importance of sustainable and equitable city development. I’ve come to appreciate both people’s qualitative nature and cities’ quantitative dynamics. Studying environmental ecology, human trends, and economic interaction has helped me see how we play a role in the growth and sustainability of the places we call home.

What are your plans after graduation?

After graduation, I plan to take some time off to travel and enjoy the summer, road tripping to cities I’ve never seen before and nerding out over different public transit systems. On a more professional note, though, I plan to attend Cornell University to pursue a Master of Regional Planning. There, I aim to deepen my knowledge of public policy and hone my skills to become a more innovative and socially conscious urban planner!

Do you have any advice for students considering the urban studies minor?

The Urban Studies minor is so interdisciplinary, and I encourage any student to not only pursue it but to truly take advantage of the diverse disciplines it brings together. I’m so glad I could fit this minor into my last year at BU and explore the incredible range of courses it offers. Whether it be Global Change Biology or Economics of Less Developed Regions, these courses have only added to my perspective of Urban Studies and have enriched my intellectual toolkit. Finally, I’m a firm believer that you can’t truly study cities without experiencing them firsthand, so get out there, explore Boston, and put your knowledge into action!