Jimmy Royster
CDP/M.A. '06

1. Please describe your present professional position? Please include the URL of your organization.

I work for Enterprise Community Partners as the Program Director of the Green Communities Initiative. I'm located out of our headquarters in Columbia, Maryland.

Enterprise is a leader in the financing and development of affordable housing across the U.S. The Green Communities Initiative is Enterprise's effort to change how America thinks, designs, and builds affordable housing. The initiative provides grants, financing, tax-credit equity, and technical assistance to developers who meet the Green Communities criteria for affordable housing that promotes health, conserves energy and natural resources, and provides easy access to jobs, schools, and services.

A major part of the initiative is state collaboratives that bring affordable housing developers, Housing Finance Agencies, Lenders, and green building experts together. A major part of my job is to support our current state collaboratives and to foster new ones. The goal is that these partnerships will create the infrastructure and long-term policy change necessary to make green affordable housing the standard across the U.S.

For more information go to our website at www.greencommunitiesonline.org.

2. What do you find satisfying about your position?

This job allows me to combine my two passions; social equity and environmental sustainability. It allows me to work on both at the same time. Not only that, but I get to do it on a national level.

3. How did the CDP program at Clark University help to prepare you?

CDP was great in helping me launch my career. Combining my prior field experience in affordable housing with my CDP courses was essential in me getting this job.

4. Why should prospective students enroll in the CDP program at Clark University?

The world needs more intelligent passionate people who can think and act quickly on the complex issues facing our communities. CDP gives students who are passionate about serving their community a great foundation of knowledge to build upon.

5. Did you have an internship as part of your Clark education? If so, how did it help to connect you to your current career?

No, I didn't have any internships, but I did work at United Way of Central Massachusetts and for Common Pathways. Having prior experience working with coalitions and having experience finding ways to get entities to cooperate was important in the interview process.

6. What was the topic of your research while at Clark University?

Coalitions and Collaboration
Property Value Change Near Affordable Housing
Community Planning

7. Is there anything else you would like to add?

CDP courses important in my daily job:

CDP Finance
CDP Planning Studio
CDP Decision Making and Negotiations
CDP Grant Writing

I look at my life right now and laugh about what a wild ride it's been. I was determined to find a job in this field but was struggling to find one. I was scared I'd have to take an unpaid internship just to get my foot in the door, but I kept looking and kept networking and talking to people.

I worked hard to find the organization and job I wanted then prepped for the interview so I would knock the interview out of the park. Then next thing you know I'm playing a big role in this huge national initiative. Now I have the job and I am really busy, but it's all worth it because I'm doing what I always wanted to do.

Thanks CDP!