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Julia M. O’Rourke · New Brighton, MN 55112 February 6, 2018 To whom it may concern at the City of New Brighton: I am applying to serve on New Brighton’s Parks, Recreation, and Environmental Commission. I believe I would be an excellent fit for this commission because of my graduate studies in environmentally sustainable design and public policy, my previous work in community development, and my continuing involvement in New Brighton Parks and Recreation activities. This last December, I completed a PhD in mechanical engineering with a research focus in environmentally sustainable product design from the Cockrell School of Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. I also have a master’s degree in public affairs from the LBJ School of Public Policy. My graduate research and coursework focused on issues related to environmental protection: environmentally sustainable product design, environmental policy, and energy technology and policy. As a graduate student, I had the opportunity to participate in a number of environmentally-focused community development projects, giving me valuable insights pertaining to community engagement, stakeholder assessment, and public resource management. In 2011, I interned with Uganda Village Project in Iganga District, Uganda, where I worked with public health committees in three villages and conducted safe water and sanitation outreach events. In 2012, I served as a water project consultant for a nonprofit in Haiti, where I conducted water quality assessments and helped establish a local water committee. Also, in 2012, I led a team of 9 engineering students in the initial stages of a solar water pumping project that was eventually implemented in Papua New Guinea in 2013. In addition to my previous academic and project experience, I have been a longstanding participant in New Brighton’s recreation activities. As a child growing up in Fridley, I participated in New Brighton’s soccer league, attended swimming lessons at Highview Middle School, and went to park programs at Veteran’s Park. Since moving to New Brighton last March after a number of years out of state, I have been pleased that my family has access to the resources New Brighton Parks and Recreation provides. I regularly take my one year old daughter for walks in Freedom Park, to the Eagle’s Nest and library in the Community Center, and to swimming lessons at Highview. Consequently, I recognize what a valuable resource the parks and recreation activities are for our community. I believe I could contribute a wide array of background knowledge related to environmental sustainability, skills pertaining to public policy, and an enthusiasm for New Brighton’s parks and recreation programs to the Parks, Recreation, and Environmental Commission. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Julia O’Rourke