Meet the Intern: Sheena’s Journey to PartnerTulsa

From Taiwan to Tulsa, Sheena’s summer internship has been a journey of discovery. We caught up with her to talk about her background, what she’s learned at PartnerTulsa and why Tulsa continues to surprise and inspire her.

Tell us a little about your background. What experiences or interests have shaped your path, and what are your goals for the future?

I’m someone who likes a little complexity! While I go to college at NYU Abu Dhabi in the UAE, I was born and raised in Taiwan. I’ve also had the opportunity to spend one semester in New York and another in Tulsa. While I am getting my degree in Electrical Engineering, my interests lean more interdisciplinary, including design, urban development and understanding human systems. Two of my favourite podcasts are Acquired and Freakonomics, which bring numbers to narratives and narrative to numbers, piquing my interest in using data and analysis to understand human systems. I also believe that the world is complex and ever-changing, so every challenge deserves careful consideration and a thoughtful approach. Thus, no matter where I end up, I want to work in a multidisciplinary capacity, think about hard problems and take on what comes.

What’s your connection to Tulsa? What inspired you to pursue an internship with PartnerTulsa?

I came to Tulsa on a study abroad semester through NYU as one of the first cohorts, hoping to give this small-town city a chance despite much skepticism from others. I think this city proves their doubts wrong! People are warm, open and driven to make things happen. As I learn more about the projects brewing and unique spaces being created, I grow fonder of Tulsa. I was introduced to PartnerTulsa through NYU. PartnerTulsa lies at an intersection that deals with many technical layers—economic incentives, public administration, business interests—yet the central pillar is heart, empathy and a desire for the world to become a better place. Regardless of where I end up and what I do, I want to use that playbook and play a part in improving lives. It has been a joy to work directly in the field of my interests (urban planning, economic development, human systems) for the first time.

What are you most curious to learn about and eager to take away from this internship experience?

I have been lucky to be put on projects completely unfamiliar to me and getting the chance to dive deep into research. Through this internship, I got to learn about everything from film/TV production tax incentives to a municipal capital improvement program in OKC. I began making connections to different parts of my life, inviting thoughtful conversations, and seeing a little past the surface of Tulsa to its history, the work gone into its planning, and the people that bring it to life. It’s an honor to know more about this city, but beyond the facts, I will take away the importance of approaching the unfamiliar with a mindful, earnest attitude. Sometimes, mere research can’t beat being on the ground and speaking to people directly, many of them experts who’ve poured their hearts into their work. Always, I will tackle new challenges by learning as much as I can about it.

If someone were visiting Tulsa for the first time, what’s one local favorite or hidden gem you’d make sure they didn’t miss?

All of Tulsa feels like a hidden gem to me. As a huge fan of coffee, I would drag you to Coracle coffee, She Brews or Natsukashii to have the best cappuccinos in Tulsa, and reassure you that every other cafe in town is also worth a visit, because each one offers something unique and charming. One of my best unexpected discoveries was the King Cabbage Brass Band at Cain’s Ballroom. If you like beer, the breweries are absolutely worth hopping (pun intended); if you don’t, I’ve had a great time at their trivia nights!