Public Information

The Planning Accreditation Board requires this information be posted for the Master of Urban Planning and Development Program.

View the Master of Urban Planning and Development Strategic Plan, April 10, 2019 (Amended April 2020). »

Student Achievement: Alumni Leadership in the Region 

MUPD graduates work around the region and country at various levels in the public, nonprofit and private sectors. Here are three alumni who have excelled in their careers, becoming true leaders in planning in the northeast Ohio region.

Chris Ronayne
Mr. Ronayne graduated from the MUPD in 1997. He began his career in public service as a planner at the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission focusing on community reinvestment plans. In 2001 Ronayne managed the successful campaign for Jane Campbell, the first woman elected mayor in Cleveland's history. He was then appointed as Planning Director for the City of Cleveland, leading the Cleveland Lakefront Plan which engaged over 5,000 residents, secured tens of millions of dollars in state and federal funding which spurred more in private investment. In 2005, Ronayne became CEO of University Circle, Inc., a large nonprofit organization located in Cleveland's University Circle, leading redevelopment, advocating for land use planning for Cleveland's major hospitals and cultural organizations, and transforming this important cultural district into a complete community. During his tenure more than 2,500 new and renovated homes were completed, multiple programs for neighborhood students, and connected small businesses (primarily minority-owned) to the neighborhood's arts, education and health care institutions. Ronayne was elected Cuyahoga County Executive in November 2022. Ronayne remains dedicated to the Levin School and serves on the advisory committee for the Master in Urban Planning and Development program. His success is applauded by current and former faculty.

Joyce Huang
Ms. Huang graduated from the MUPD in 2016. Her career has focused on building community assets in Cleveland. While a student, Ms. Huang was supported  in part by a scholarship from the Cleveland chapter of the American Planning Association. In 2016 Huang joined the staff at MidTown, an economic development nonprofit organization, rising from urban planner to director of planning and placemaking to Vice President of Community Development. In 2020 she was recognized by Crains Cleveland Business as one of the city's 40 under 40 leaders. In 2022 Huang was tapped by newly-elected Cleveland mayor Justin Bibb to become Planning Director for the City of Cleveland, the first woman and first Asian-American to hold that position.

Jason Russell
Mr. Russell graduated with his MUPD in 2009, with a deep interest in housing and community development and the built environment. He first worked as a Project Manager at Civic Commons, an on-line platform fostering civic engagement.  He then became a Planner for the City of Lakewood, Ohio, where among other projects he led development of the Solstice Steps overlooking Lake Erie at Lakewood City Park. Russell worked for the City of Shaker Heights, as General Manager of redevelopment of the Van Aken District from 2017 to 2021, a multi-million dollar reconfiguration of streets and development of retail and residential properties. The project received a national award in 2019 from the American Planning Association for implementation of the plan. As a resident of South Euclid, Russell served as Chair of the planning commission (2014 to 2015) and was elected to city council there for 3 years from 2016 to 2019. In 2022, Russell was hired by Bedrock Detroit as a Director and then Vice President of Operations and Leasing for the Tower City Complex in downtown Cleveland.

More profiles are available on the student achievement archive page.

Prior Planning Studios

Student Perceptions of Their Knowledge and Skill Attainment Through the MUPD

A survey of graduating students on their perceptions of knowledge and skills acquired through program courses indicates increases from 50% to 100%. Students rated their knowledge and skills on a five-point scale. A group of subjects rated 4.8 or 5 included the purpose and meaning of planning, research (data assembly and analysis), history of the planning profession social justice and equity concerns. A group consisting of history of cities and urban development, design interventions, written communication, graphic communication, planning process, plan creation, social forces in urban/regional change, planning trends and practices, urban design, urban form and built environment, and use of Microsoft Excel was rated 4.6 out of 5 by students for their knowledge and skills upon finishing the program.

Open-ended remarks included:
"I have really enjoyed this program as a whole! Grateful for the opportunity to learn more about planning and to have an entry point into the field. The majority of the professors are extremely knowledgeable and wonderful teachers." And "Thank you for an amazing educational experience! The information I have learned here will stay with me forever. I only hope I can continue to soak up knowledge without experienced and warm professors there to guide me. Thank you again!"

MUPD Exit Survey Results
Exit surveys of graduating MUPD classes consistently show significant improvements for the students between entering the program and upon graduation in all of the Planning Accreditation Board's knowledge, skills, and values requirements for accredited urban planning programs. According to recent MUPD graduates, the best aspects of the MUPD program are connections to Northeast Ohio's professional planning community, engaged learning opportunities, knowledgeable and engaged faculty, affordability and location in downtown Cleveland.