Jordan Boudreau
he/theySanta Cruz, CA
Cover Letter
Dear Physical Planning, Development & Operations,
The UCSC campus embodies how human infrastructure can be integrated with the landscape in a mutualistic way—meeting programmatic needs while not just protecting nature, but also shaping a culture of reverence for it. I would be eager to contribute to that legacy as Associate Physical Planner, bringing to the role experience and passion for sustainable campus planning, and a love for UCSC’s unique campus.
After studying Environmental Studies and Architecture at Yale, where I wrote two theses on sustainable urban and campus planning, I pursued roles at both architecture firms and nonprofits to gain a breadth of perspectives that I could take into my later work as a planner—particularly experience in compliance, permitting, and conducting community outreach.
This path led me, by 2022, to be hired as an Urban Designer at Gehl, where I worked on a small team to draft the master plan for Stanford’s new Doerr School of Sustainability—its first new school in 70 years. Beginning with site studies, circulation data collection, and stakeholder interviews, our work culminated in a series of plans that organize the School around a strong pedestrian core with blurred boundaries between indoors and outdoors—all while meeting strict County GSF limits. These plans are now guiding the architectural design by Studio Gang, the firm that also designed the Kresge College Renewal Project.
Following that project, I sought to work closer to home in Santa Cruz and became Associate Director of Community Engagement at UCSC’s Seymour Center. There, I was in charge of the museum’s spaces and exhibitions, and oversaw related budgets, student staff, and volunteers. Spearheading an exhibit on climate solutions in Santa Cruz, I worked with local officials, researchers, and non-profit leaders working on resilient city infrastructure in Santa Cruz, while also implementing fully bilingual signage, expanded public space, and greater wheelchair accessibility. As Associate Physical Planner, I would hope to continue prioritizing campus accessibility and fostering collaborations between the City and University, drawing on my network in town.
Having recently left the Seymour Center due to financial cuts, I have been focusing on my long-term freelance architectural design practice. I am currently the lead designer and project manager on a 3000 sq. ft. new construction restaurant in Fort Bragg, CA, where I coordinate consultants, handle permitting, and lead the architectural design and landscape architecture, including courtyard and rooftop gardens.
I have long been preparing myself for a planning role like this one; to receive such an opportunity at a place that I already know and love would be even more meaningful. Having studied the 1963 and 2021 LRDPs in detail, I am excited by campus goals to increase enrollment, housing, transit, and circulation. As we approach the 2040 LRDP horizon, balancing this need for growth with a continued reverence for land—as Thomas Church counsels in the founding LRDP—is crucial. I hope to bring that focus to your team, helping to create beautiful, functional spaces that can nurture and inspire the next generation at UCSC.
For a deeper look at some of my past work, as well as some reflections on the UCSC campus, please find my portfolio at ucsc.jordanboudreau.info. I am grateful for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Jordan Boudreau
BIO
As a planner and designer with a passion for environmental education, I specialize in shaping places that foster conviviality, environmental literacy, social justice, and a love of the natural world.
CONTACT
jordanboudreau@me.com
1 603 560 9422