Master’s Graduate Engineers Career in Transportation Planning

ATLANTA — During her final semester at Berry College, Shanice Amos (M.P.A. ’24) applied to three Master of Public Administration programs in Georgia. Although the other colleges offered her graduate assistantships up front to help defray her costs, she chose the program at Georgia State University.

“Georgia State was my top choice because of the experiences of former students and the opportunities I saw to connect with faculty and staff,” she said. “I didn’t want to give up on having one-on-one experiences like those I had at Berry. I felt these connections would best help my career.”

The help Amos received from faculty in the Andrew Young School’s Department of Public Management and Policy and staff in Career Services and Alumni Relations helped her find her way to her first full-time job. Later this month, she will join the Cartersville-Bartow Metropolitan Planning Organization (CB-MPO) as an assistant transportation planner.

Amos, an Atlanta native, knows how to bring people together to achieve common goals. Whether helping to build community among students or working with faculty and staff to achieve her personal goals, her methods offer lessons to other students who may not be sure where to start.

“I’ve always enjoyed creating spaces and helping to cultivate change for the masses,” she said. “Berry, for example, was a culture shock for me, different than what I was used to at Westlake High in Atlanta.”

During Amos’ second year, she was tapped to lead a new student organization, U.N.I.T.Y., which created a space for women of color on campus to come together.

“Once we created the club, I felt a part of the community,” she said. “U.N.I.T.Y. was named the best campus organization. We had the best events and continuous attendance. Our first-year students really enjoyed it.”

Once she came to Georgia State, she focused intently on her degree and career goals.

“My first month, I learned about the Handshake program where you could find graduate assistantships,” she said. “During the first week of classes, I applied to everything I saw and got an interview with the manager of The Graduate School admissions office. I received the job offer a week later. That took the financial stress off me.”

Academically, Amos was torn between focusing on the nonprofit concentration or urban planning and economic development. During her Scope and Theory of Planning class, issues in transportation, housing and zoning stood out, helping her better understand planning. From that class, she was able to figure out what she wanted to do as a career. Then she had another hurdle to cross.

“I was in class with many students who were already in professional careers,” Amos said. “I was intimidated since I’d had no work experience. How would I get into the profession?”

Amos credits professors Esra Tanyildiz and Sharon Hill for helping her feel more confident in her own abilities. Tammy Greer, she acknowledged, made her a better writer and communicator. And Susan Snyder, who teaches an essential class in grant writing, gave her wonderful tips on negotiating salary.

“I had Dr. Tanyildiz for two semesters and as my internship coordinator,” Amos said. “She really poured herself into her students and was very engaging. Whenever she saw a job posting for internships, she sent it out as a class announcement. I got an internship with the State Road & Tollway Authority that way.”

Amos interned in the State Road & Tollway Authority’s communications and marketing department.

“That internship allowed me to see that the transportation area of planning was my top interest,” she said. “I’d wanted to be in the planning department. My supervisor gave me projects to see what transportation planning involved and connected me with the planning team and the past director of planning for the BeltLine. In this position, I was able to connect with potential stakeholders which helped me a lot, especially with the job-hunting process.”

With the internship under her belt, Amos felt better able to apply for full-time employment. By the end of fall semester 2023, though, she was becoming anxious and stressed. Her goal was to have a job by the time she graduated. So, she took full advantage of the resources provided by the AYSPS Office of Career Services and Alumni Relations.

“I went to Career Services faithfully,” she said. “Troy Crittendon helped me out a lot. With his help, I was able to produce a resume that showed my abilities without watering them down. Natalia Montilla also helped with the job-seeking process, consulting with me to learn what I want, showing me how to start, leading me in a mock interview where she taught me how to pace myself, and following up after job interviews. They both helped a lot.”

By the end of March, Amos had made it to the final round of interviews for two good jobs. She accepted the job in Cartersville in April.

“Something very important to me coming to Georgia State was having intentional relationships with my professors,” Amos said. “Professors at AYSPS want to have that relationship with their students. They’re available and willing to work around our schedules. I love that they care about us as students and about our futures as well. Although I was one of only a few in my program with no career experience, I always felt my opinions were valued. Everyone listened. I had great experiences with everyone.”