Alumni Spotlight Series: Miranda Floreano, 2018
Miranda is an alumna of the 2018 Semester in Residence cohort. She is now the Coordinator of Sustainability Programs and Services at Mohawk College. Read more about Miranda’s CityLAB project, career path, and how her CityLAB experience helped align her interests and long-term goals.
Tell us about your studies at McMaster and how you were involved with CityLAB?
I was in the Life Sciences program at McMaster and was part of the first cohort of CityLAB Semester In Residence, in 2018. My team and I worked with the Sustainable Mobility team at the City of Hamilton to create a Street Opening Study for King William Street in downtown Hamilton. We utilized the Principles of Community Engagement to create consensus among stakeholders on a vision for a semi-regular street opening, opening the street to pedestrians and closing it to cars. This would facilitate a community space while encouraging active transportation and allowing the restaurant businesses to expand on-street patios. My team and I conducted various community engagement pieces which included street surveys with passersby, a brainstorming session with community groups, and a design charrette with stakeholders, including restaurant owners from the street. We also researched global best practices from other street openings and contributed to public art consultations. Since working on the project, the City of Hamilton has implemented temporary pedestrianization of the street, which was furthered by the demand for patios during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Miranda Floreano at Fall 2018 Project Showcase. See more photos
What are you up to now?
After my SIR term, I continued my studies at McMaster and worked part-time as a CityLAB Ambassador. I also completed a short-term contract with the Sustainable Mobility team at the City, who I had the opportunity to network with during CityLAB. After graduating, I went to Fleming College and received a postgraduate diploma in Ecosystem Management Technology. Following my studies, I worked in Community Outreach with a local Conservation Authority. I am now the Coordinator of Sustainability Programs and Services at Mohawk College. CityLAB provided a tremendous opportunity to network and make connections with many individuals across the City of Hamilton. Many of the roles that I’ve had, have been possible due to the connections and skills that I gained. The way projects are structured at CityLAB mimics the real world, which is different from your typical lecture-based courses. The collaboration is very similar to the work that I do now, which involves working with various departments and stakeholders on sustainability programs and services at Mohawk College.
Do you have any long term goals that have been positively impacted by your time in SIR?
SIR helped me to see that Sustainability was an area I could pursue as a career. I hadn’t previously considered the career path that could come from it. Having the opportunity to learn about sustainability through the project work at CityLAB was incredibly eye-opening. My long term goals include community engagement and public education surrounding sustainability. Another valuable aspect of CityLAB was the emphasis placed on youth civic engagement and contributing to our community. Learning about the systems, processes and staff at the City was very helpful in my understanding of the municipality both as a student and as a community member.
Any words of advice for students thinking about applying for SIR?
Absolutely go for it, it’s a great opportunity! One thing I really appreciated about the application process at McMaster University was that there was no GPA requirement to be accepted, which made it more accessible than other programs at University such as a Co-op. The experiential learning and courses like dialogue and design were so different from the other courses I was taking in my undergrad. Being able to explore new topics and apply your knowledge in such a collaborative way is really neat. I think it’s an incredibly beneficial program regardless of where you want to work in the future. I’ve used experiences and examples from CityLAB in every job interview I’ve had since then. It provides you with the opportunity to build so many foundational skills (such as facilitating meetings, brainstorming sessions and writing minutes) that will carry you through your career. Also, the opportunity to learn from other students in an interdisciplinary environment that you wouldn’t otherwise work in is quite meaningful. CityLAB is also great to build your network of friends and peers! It is very much a collaborative community environment; you see each other every day and get close-knit very quickly. I would definitely recommend it!
Read more about the impact of Miranda’s CityLAB project here: