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About Me
May 2023 Graduate | Geography & Political Science, B.A.
GLD Pathway: Professional & Civic Engagement
GLD Pathway: Professional & Civic Engagement
My name is Blake Gibbons, and I am a soon-to-be graduate of the University of South Carolina receiving degrees in Geography & Political Science, B. A with Leadership Distinction in the Professional & Civic Engagement Pathway. From Chapin, SC, I have been local to Columbia and have had the desire to give back to the communities that have given so much to me. Originally wanting to give back via Information Technology (IT), it was not until I attended a planning meeting hosted by the city of Columbia that I realized I wanted to give back by improving life in the city. This passion helped lead me to an internship at Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority (The COMET) as a Transit Services Intern with a specialized focus on bus stop amenities, public access/right of way, and assisting in creating schedules and route development. Notable accomplishments at The COMET have been streamlining data within the planning department, maximizing utilization and efficiency of CAD/AVL and scheduling software, as well as contributing to the activities of The COMET’s Marketing and Community Affairs Department.
I have also been heavily involved on-campus having served in Student Government (SG), Opportunity Scholars Program (OSP), and Entrepreneurship Club as well as off-campus with BlueBikeSC, Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC), and the City of Columbia with Bike/Pedestrian counts. Notable roles I have served in have been as Division Secretary of Campus Wellness (SG), Secretary of Safety & Transportation (SG), Director of City Advocacy Commission (CAC - SG), Russell House University Union Steering Committee Chair, SC State House Page, Intern at Richland County Democratic Party, and other various volunteer positions. These roles helped me in the summer of 2022 as I was chosen as one of twenty-four U.S. rising college seniors for the PPIA (Public Policy and International Affairs) JSI (Junior Summer Institute) fellowship program at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan. Naturally, I represented transportation policy having completed a statistical analysis of Amtrak funding support among Democrats and Republicans. |
...Blake’s vision for transportation in the U.S. is a “car-light” model in which there is increased integration and access to diverse modes of mobility.” As an enthusiastic ambassador of public transit, my vision for transportation in the U.S. is a “car-light” model in which there is increased integration and access to diverse modes of mobility (i.e., rapid transit, cycling, walking/walkability, etc.). My goal is to tap into new grant programs and innovative mobility providers to improve modes of transportation in the Columbia metropolitan area. My vision now has a two-part approach:
The personal car should not be the only option for people to traverse and has created “the geography of nowhere” where communities are stripped of their life and elements of consumerism are copied and pasted everywhere. More access to walking, biking, transit, and shared mobility will aid in meeting climate goals, decrease congestion, and bring back life to the city. My time at Carolina over the last four years both within the classroom and beyond has culminated into three main topics as outlined as Key Insights in this ePortfolio: Creating a Sustainable, Equitable, and Walkable City
As my time at USC comes to an end, I’ve done a great deal of reflection on the journey to this point right now, a reflection that is exemplified across this ePortfolio in both the Key Insights and Leadership sections. The experiences of this ePortfolio all have culminated in not only the successful completion of college but also with several job offers. I’m excited to use all three key insights in my next job as a Business Development Representative (BDR) at Via Transportation in New York, NY where I will be working with transit authorities across the United States to expand and maximize the efficiency of their networks with Via’s end-to-end suite of TransitTech software's. |
CV | |
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Resume | |
File Size: | 146 kb |
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Notable Highlights
Student Government
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BlueBikeSC
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The COMET
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Let's Get In Touch
Have any questions or comments about this portfolio or want to chat about my vision for urban life in the United States? Click below to get in touch with me
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