June 11, 2026
SCARP's student community has immense spirit and inspiration, and whether as individuals and together they have brought about change and built amazing things.
This has been in no small part to the Planning Students Association, this past year under the tireless leadership of graduating SCARP student Stephanie Mak.
We spoke to Stephanie about her journey, what they've built, and her advice for future students.
Our interview with Stephanie Mak, MCRP grad, 2026
Let’s start by giving readers an idea of whose story they’re hearing: tell us about yourself!
I was part of the 2024–2026 MCRP cohort, and I never expected to become a graduate student! When I joined SCARP, I immediately found the community to be tight-knit, welcoming, and fun, which inspired me to be involved in student activities, something I had never done during my undergraduate degree at UBC.
During my first term, I became a Canadian Institute of Planners Liaison, serving as a student representative and connecting with planning students from across Canada on national initiatives.
From there, I became Co-Lead of the 2025 Student Symposium, where we organized a one-day conference that brought together students and professionals to discuss current planning ideas and issues, with more than 200 participants attending!
That 6-month experience leading Symposium was formative. I project-managed everything from catering and sponsorship to poster design, while also gaining exposure to the financial side of running a student association. It ultimately inspired me to run for PSA President so I could continue supporting students during my second year.
When I joined SCARP, I immediately found the community to be tight-knit, welcoming, and fun, which inspired me to be involved in student activities, something I had never done during my undergrad.
Tell us a bit more about the community that SCARP students share.
The word "community" gets used a lot, but behind the curtains it comes from people connecting through shared interests and showing up for one another.
In my year, the transit enthusiasts were attending advocacy events and protests, urban design students developed their own courses with supportive faculty, and others were coordinating social events and outdoor adventures.
One student organized a bike bus from East Vancouver to UBC, even paying out of pocket for coffee and pastries for participants. Another started pancake breakfasts to lift spirits during the winter months.
The word "community" gets used a lot, but behind the curtains it comes from people connecting through shared interests and showing up for one another.
Building community wasn't something that happened automatically, it happened because students shared ideas, invitations, opportunities, and their time. What I appreciated most was how welcoming the mini-communities were, with something happening almost every week. Dear reader, YOU are the community!
What’s been your journey becoming a SCARP student?
Honestly, I was a bit aimless after my undergraduate degree in 2016. I felt the weight of the world's problems but wasn't sure where I fit in. After university, I worked at a tech company where I learned a lot about profit margins, productivity, and start-up workplace culture, but I felt like something was missing. I left the role and was unemployed for a period, using the time to reflect on what else mattered to me.
One thing that had always been important for me was supporting local food systems, so I packed my bags and went to apprentice on a farm on Salt Spring Island. Something clicked there. I found meaning in connecting my physical labour with tangible results from the land. At that point, I set a goal of spending five years learning from different farmers and growing contexts before starting my own farm.
Four years into that dream, I realized I didn't have the resources to start a farm of my own, but I still wanted to work at the intersection of food and land use. So I left farming and worked with a non-profit managing community gardens and food recovery programs. From there, I met planners who showed me that planning could align with my values and provide a sense of purpose. I knew then that I wanted to pursue community planning. I had also met so many SCARP alumni working in the field that I was inspired to apply. So my journey took about eight years after my undergraduate degree to find my way to SCARP.
I met planners who showed me that planning could align with my values and provide a sense of purpose. I knew then that I wanted to pursue community planning. I had also met so many SCARP alumni working in the field that I was inspired to apply.
My successes as outgoing President wouldn’t have been possible without the rest of the committee members and student input! One of the biggest changes this year was leading PSA to become less executive-focused and more student-led. I was the last President before we moved to a general assembly governance structure. It was a challenging process, but it created more opportunities for students to bring forward their own ideas and initiatives.
I also worked to strengthen administrative processes and documentation to make transitions between years easier. I’ve observed that every year, a new cohort of talented students brings fresh ideas, and having that foundation helps them build on previous successes and challenges.
I'm especially proud of working with our Treasurer and Vice-President to establish a student-led activities fund. The fund allows students to take the lead on initiatives that matter to them, from Bike Fix 101 workshops to movie nights and networking events.
What's been your favourite memory while a SCARP student?
It's hard to pick just one. What I remember most are the ordinary moments: laughing in the hallways between classes, being told to quiet down because we were yapping too much (sorry PhD students!), working through stressful deadlines together, and the energy on the final day of classes when everyone was running around taking group photos. Those moments of shared pressure, excitement, and camaraderie are what I'll remember most.
What’s been your journey while learning about Planning?
SCARP pushed me to question my values, assumptions, and perspectives. I became much more aware of the biases I bring to my work and how those shape the way I understand planning issues. I realised that planners are inevitably influenced by their lived experiences. Our work requires us to draw on those experiences and critically reflect on how they shape our decisions and recommendations, even 10 or 20 years later.
Now that you've earned a Masters Degree from UBC SCARP, what are you going to do now? And what's your Quest or direction moving ahead?
At this point, my Quest feels quite personal. I spent many years moving from place to place pursuing different passions, and now I find myself wanting to put down roots, deepen friendships, and build a meaningful life. I suppose what I would like to do with my life is to help create the conditions that allow people to be happy and connected to their communities, to each other, and to the environment.
I’m currently working with the City of New Westminster on the land use team, primarily working on regional land use matters and policy implementation. I hope to continue working as a planner but also with my free time I’m hoping to learn to teach yoga and find land to grow my own food and flowers (albeit at a less intensive scale).
What's your biggest hopes for future years at PSA?
I hope students remember to have fun because that helps with mental health and personal growth. Learning about planning often means confronting difficult issues and questioning our own values, but it's important not to lose sight of joy and connection along the way.
I also hope students continue to challenge one another's ideas in thoughtful and caring ways. Some of the best learning happens when we engage respectfully with perspectives that differ from our own.
What advice or inspiration would you like to give future SCARP students?
Pursue your own hobbies and interests! Some of the most meaningful connections I've made have come through interests like running, knitting, backcountry camping, bikepacking, and farming. Those hobbies have enriched my life, introduced me to incredible people, and ultimately made me a better planner. Don't lose sight of the parts of yourself that exist outside of school and work.
