Sunday, December 12, 2021
Wael El Safi looking over his shoulder at the camera with indoor shopping center in the background.

Name: Wael El Safi

Originally from: Khartoum, Sudan

 

Degree: Urban and Regional Planning, M.S., concentration in Housing and Community Development

Graduating class: 2022

Wael El Safi completed his BSc. architecture in Nigeria and also studied in the UK before moving to the Iowa City area with his family in 2018. He also previously worked in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, overseeing large construction projects.

  • While at the University of Iowa, Wael had an internship with the City of Iowa City which focused on historic preservation. His project included an inventory of multiple residential buildings and their architectural history. He said this project taught him the importance of historic structures and the value they add to communities.
  • His favorite classes were Systems and Scenario Thinking with Professor Scott Spak and Growth Management with Professor Jerry Anthony. He said, "both courses drive you to think outside of the box. Systems and Scenario Thinking helps a great deal in managing and tackling the capstone project, and Growth Management helps to think about planning issues creatively."
  • Wael's advice to incoming students is to manage their time effectively to avoid stress.