Honorary Dean Allison Exit Letter from Kelly Abey

Hi there!

My name is Kelly Abey, and I was the Summer 2023 Honorary Dean Allison Intern. Here is an exit letter detailing my experience in the position.

I grew up in the City of San Rafael in Sun Valley. I had just finished my third year at UC Davis as a double major in Environmental Policy, Analysis, and Planning & Sustainable Environmental Design. I had (and still have) no official schooling in engineering. Nonetheless, I took a chance, was offered the position, and happily accepted it. Before the position, I had been interested in working in the public sector and learning how a city works since I had only experienced the city as a resident.

I remember coming into the DPW building on the first day and feeling way over my head. Living up to the legacy that Dean Allison and the previous Dean Allison interns left would not be an easy task. On my first day, CIP Engineer Theo took me and two other new Junior Civil Engineers out to look at projects around the city that were being worked on. It eased my worries, and I was shown very quickly that I would be working with extremely supportive colleagues.

Most of my work was with the city's Traffic Engineer at the time, Nhat, and Traffic Technician Willie in the Traffic Division. I attended and took notes for the Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) meetings, updated inventory sheets, and helped Nhat on any project he was working on. Although they were usually very busy, Nhat and Willie always took the time to explain things to me. It was a joy to see the myriad of ways that they are helping make the city's transportation more efficient and safe.

I also assisted Senior Civil Engineer Joanna and Associate Civil Engineer Theo in the Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) group. With them, I helped write capital improvement project updates for grants, visited project sites, and learned the process and necessary requirements for completing a capital improvement project from beginning to end. It gave me insight into how much work was required from many different entities to complete a CIP project.

Overall, I have learned so much about all aspects of how a city works, along with applicable career and life skills. It has been a truly remarkable experience seeing all the parts of the City of San Rafael that I know in a new light. It has also been inspiring to see the dedication, passion, and hard work that everyone in the city puts in. Everyone I got the opportunity to work with and interact with was extremely kind and made me feel like my voice was heard. After my experience as the Dean Allison Intern, I hope to continue my career in the public sector.