From Pardee to PAC: Campbell Taylor Shares Her Internship Experience
As a child, Campbell Taylor (CAS/Pardee/KHC ’28) loved learning by experience. The San Antonio native nurtured this attribute well into her teenage years, which earned her a spot in United World College’s (UWC) baccalaureate program in Costa Rica. Studying alongside 200 people from different countries gave her a profound understanding of interdisciplinary and global perspectives essential for driving impact. At UWC, she also developed a passion for economics and urban research – an interest that she continues to cultivate at Boston University.
Shortly after finishing her first year at BU, the rising sophomore landed a summer internship at the City of Boston’s Planning Advisory Council (PAC) with support from the Boston University Initiative on Cities (IOC). Providing extraordinary insights into the complexities of urban planning, this internship was Campbell’s first step toward molding her passion into a career.
“Since before I even arrived at BU, I knew I wanted to be involved with the Initiative on Cities,” said Campbell. “I loved listening to panels discussing transit planning in Lower Allston, the roots of urban inequality in São Paulo and Johannesburg, and new trucking technologies revolutionizing supply chains in my home state. When I learned about their summer internship, where I would be able to engage directly in these conversations through local government, I knew I wanted to apply.”
Campbell was particularly keen to explore housing policy, which she believes to be a key contributor to inequality in cities. Aligning with her career interests, the internship at PAC proved to be a perfect fit with its housing stabilization programs and initiatives.
“I’ve loved working with the Planning Advisory Council team, and the Planning Department as a whole – they’re all very motivated to make Boston a better place to live, and that enthusiasm permeates every aspect of the work I’ve done this summer,” she said. “From day one, my supervisors encouraged me to share my thoughts in meetings and take ownership over the projects I completed. Their guidance helped me learn how City Hall works and how my contributions fit into the larger planning efforts. . . I’m continually surprised by the strength of local government in Boston, and Massachusetts more generally, and have enjoyed watching it be wielded to support residents.”
With regard to her professional ambitions in governance and planning, Campbell affirmed her commitment to breaking down resource silos within government and in the broader public sphere. Simultaneously, she stressed the significance of new construction technology in cities like Boston, with burgeoning housing costs and urban density. She hopes that one day the city can achieve affordability and abundance while ensuring generational wealth-building.
“Cities work best when they bring together people, ideas, and opportunities in the same shared space,” said Campbell. “I want to improve collaboration across the organization, and concentrate public resources in nodes where they can easily benefit the most people.”