From Cork to Connecticut: UCC MPlan graduate on creating better places for people

15 Apr 2025

• Kyle Banquer share his journey from UCC’s Planning and Sustainable Development (MPlan) to working as Transportation Planner in Connecticut.
• Kyle reflects on studying at UCC, career highlights so far, and tips for international students.

Originally from the United States, Kyle Banquer moved to Cork to pursue the Master’s in Planning and Sustainable Development (MPlan) at University College Cork (UCC).

Attracted by the programme’s international perspective and comprehensive curriculum, Kyle gained practical skills and experience that have shaped his career.

He now works as a Transportation Planner with the Connecticut Department of Transportation, focusing on public transit and active transportation planning

In this UCC Alumni Spotlight, Kyle shares what led him to UCC, how the programme supported his career goals, and his advice for other international students.

What inspired you to pursue the MPlan at UCC?

I chose MPlan because of the program’s holistic emphasis and because of its 2-year length. Many of the other programs I looked at felt rushed and lacking, favouring theory over practical skills training or vice versa in an effort to truncate program length. With MPlan, I knew that I would get a robust and well-rounded education that took the time necessary to ensure that I’d exit the program as a qualified, competent, and competitive planning professional.

I also knew that I wanted to learn about urban planning from an international perspective, and felt that MPlan would provide me with a competitive advantage and a potential for international mobility that a planning degree in the US wouldn’t. While I did end up coming back stateside after MPlan, my education has equipped me with work experience, professional memberships, and a network of connections that keeps working in Ireland or in Europe open as a possibility.

Reflecting on your postgraduate studies at UCC, what experiences or skills have been most valuable in your role as a Transportation Planner?

My ability to look at space through the planning lens remains invaluable, and that ability would not have come without all the fieldwork MPlan had me embark on–from trekking through the Beara Peninsula to getting lost in Leeds city centre. Getting an exposure to GIS and learning how to use ArcGIS for a variety of desktop-based planning analyses has been greatly beneficial too.

The best decision I ever made as an MPlan student was asking one of our guest lecturers if I could work at his firm for a summer as a student transportation planner. It affirmed that focusing on transportation planning was what I wanted to do,  and helped me land a job after MPlan as a transportation planner at the Connecticut Department of Transportation.

The second most valuable thing I did was celebrate submitting my thesis by going interrailing from Italy to Finland. Taking that trip was both an excuse to reunite with all the international friends I made during my studies and an opportunity to view different parts of continental Europe I’d never otherwise see through my freshly acquired planning lens. Yes, the trip left me with memories that will last a lifetime, but it also gave me so many examples of successful urban planning interventions that I continue to draw upon in my professional work.

What do you enjoy most about working as a Transportation Planner?

For me, it’s being able to finish my workday knowing that what I do makes the world into a bit better of a place. Regardless of whether you work in the public sector or private sector, planning entails the betterment of space for the benefit of others. It's a profession built around serving the public interest and serving others, and I find great fulfilment in that.

As a transportation planner who specialises in public transit and active transportation planning, the work I do is doubly valuable because I get to further the change I want to see in the world through my work. I’m lucky to work on projects that will make taking the bus, the train, or a bicycle more attractive to people who otherwise would drive. What I do advances modal shift and furthers decarbonisation - it’s an enjoyable thing to be a part of!

What advice would you give to international students considering pursuing their studies in Ireland?

Every other international student is in the same boat as you. We've all made a huge change in our lives and are all desperately seeking community in a setting that none of us are familiar with. So put yourself out there–go to events and places you’d never otherwise go to, and strike up conversations with people you’d never otherwise talk to. And most importantly, never stop doing it. Yes, it’s hard and it doesn’t come naturally to everyone but you’ll come out the other side with friendships that will last the rest of your life, stories that will make you break down in laughter every time you tell them, and a degree that puts you miles ahead of the competition.

Applications are currently open for the Master’s in Planning and Sustainable Development (MPlan) at UCC, starting in September 2025.