HSRC student wins award for her transportation planning summer internship
Bridgette Bavon is pursuing her master’s in UNC’s Department of City and RegionalBridgette BavonPlanning. She works on HSRC’s youth pedestrian safety projects, including Walk, Bike, & Roll to School Day.
My name is Bridgette Bavon, and I am a second-year master’s student in UNC’s Department of City and Regional Planning. Originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, I spent three years teaching elementary school in Memphis, Tennessee, before pursuing my graduate degree.
Over the summer of 2026, I worked as a public engagement intern at Metroplan, the Central Arkansas Metropolitan Planning Organization, where I supported regional transportation and community planning initiatives. My work focused on public engagement, transportation planning, grant development, and communicating planning information to stakeholders and residents. One of the highlights of my internship was adapting Metroplan’s Central Arkansas County Transportation Reports into an interactive, public-facing ArcGIS StoryMap. In October 2026, I received the “Best Student Project” award at the Arkansas Chapter of the American Planning Association Conference for this work.
Bridgette accepting her award.
Through my work with HSRC, I have strengthened my ability to communicate with the public, engage communities in safety initiatives, conduct research, and translate findings into accessible information. After graduation, I plan to use these skills to help communities understand how effective planning can create safer, stronger cities and towns.
