My second year at Penn felt like a rollercoaster ride – one with steep climbs, drops, twists, and turns. I had navigated through my first year at Wharton. Beginning my journey at Penn, I started studying history– an interest in economic and business history led me to pursue a dual degree at Wharton, allowing me to balance the humanities with a business education.
As I pondered my potential summer plans, I hit a crossroads. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do: did I find interest in finance? Or the public sector? Or perhaps something else entirely?
I began to recall my experiences during the year, in which a class I took my first semester about the transformations of urban America piqued my curiosity about urban development and real estate. I found the idea of ever-changing urban landscapes quite interesting: observing changes in commercial development, the rise and fall of neighborhoods, and the relationship between policy and the built environment. This led me to discover the Philadelphia Summer Internship Award through Wharton, where I was able to work with the Commercial Programs team of the Philadelphia Energy Authority (PEA).
Among the various tasks I undertook at the PEA, one of the most impactful was helping advance the Building Decarbonization In-a-Box Program (BDAB). The program aims to reduce the carbon footprint of commercial buildings by introducing a technical assistance program to evaluate which energy efficiency upgrades make financial sense for commercial property owners. Through this project, I was responsible for reaching out to property developers and owners, contributing to Philadelphia’s transition to a greener, more sustainable future.
My work with the team also extended to the Commercial Property-Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program, a financing tool designed to connect commercial property owners with capital providers for energy efficiency projects. Leveraging Google Analytics, I was able to optimize the C-PACE website by identifying user behavior patterns and making recommendations to improve the site’s user experience and interface. Moreover, I was able to extrapolate testimonials from property developers who have used C-PACE and display them across the website. I felt that my work with C-PACE to be impactful in the long-term scope of the program – truly making me feel the impact of the work.
The learning that I gained from working on commercial projects was invaluable. I became more knowledgeable about the energy industry, public policy initiatives, and the financial mechanisms that have the potential to support sustainable development. Furthermore, I learned tremendously through working with such a supportive team. From the biweekly staff meetings – which were a highlight of my time at the PEA – to forging new connections with experienced industry professionals, I truly learned the importance of building strong professional relationships to drive meaningful change. And that is something I will continue to take with me throughout my professional endeavors.