Posted on March 25, 2025 by Storm Goodman
Sarah after completing an aerial overview of the San Antonio market
MARCH 25, 2025 - After graduating with her Bachelor's Degree from the University of California San Diego, Sarah Esserlieu Khalil began to explore the options available to her and decided to attend UTSA to continue her Urban and Regional Planning Studies. From there, Khalil took advantage of every opportunity presented to her, setting herself up for amazing future success. Now, she is involved in an amazing project to revolutionize a major part of the San Antonio area and is excited to reflect on her inspiring journey.
Read the full interview down below.
What led to your decision to attend UTSA?
I graduated with my Bachelor’s Degree from the University of California San Diego (UCSD) in 2009 at the height of the "Great Recession." Most people I graduated with moved back home with family and very few could find jobs. I was working a retail job at the time and decided to teach English for a year in South Korea hoping that the economy would be better when I returned. While I was there, I decided to apply for graduate school for urban planning.
My primary considerations were cost of living and whether I could get hired immediately upon graduating. I had a good amount of student debt from my undergraduate studies without good job prospects when I graduated. I wanted to avoid that at all costs. At the time, I had family in San Antonio that encouraged me to consider UTSA. I met with Dr. Richard Tangum, the Urban Planning Director at the time, who offered me a recruitment scholarship that granted me in-state tuition (half of out-of-state tuition) plus a little extra in financial assistance. Additionally, my family offered to let me live with them at no cost for a period of time.
It came down to a decision to attend the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) or UTSA. UCLA is an incredibly reputable school, but in-state tuition was the same as out-of-state tuition at UTSA (and I had that recruitment scholarship that cut tuition in half). The cost of living in LA was about three times what it was in San Antonio. The job market in California was incredibly competitive, while nearly every single graduate of the program at UTSA had job offers. I chose the school where I thought I could get a better value for my education and started attending UTSA in August 2013 pursuing a Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning.
What did you enjoy most about your experience at UTSA?
I really enjoyed the small class sizes, which allowed me to have a personal relationship with the professors. They knew me and my work. I thrived in that environment. I also appreciated that classes were after traditional working hours, so I could work and go to school to make ends meet.
I later attended the Real Estate Finance and Development program for a graduate certificate. I appreciate that Dr. Ciochetti gets his students exposure with industry leaders that help teach the practical application of their studies. This sometimes results in future job opportunities and helps build their networks while still in the program.
How did your education at UTSA prepare you for your career?
I started working for the City of San Antonio as an intern in October 2013, two months after I started the program. At UTSA, I learned urban planning theory and learned the real world application of those theories through my internship. I was hired full-time before I graduated in 2015 and moved up quickly. I worked for the City for seven years, then went back to UTSA for a graduate certificate in real estate finance and development (REFD) in 2019 to learn more about the private development process. In 2020, I received my graduate certificate and went to work at Centro, San Antonio’s downtown management agency. Both of these jobs related significantly to the urban part of the Urban and Regional Planning program, and the education about the private development process made me better at my job and understanding our stakeholders.
I now work for Great Springs Project, where we are working to create a greenway of protected lands between Austin and San Antonio over the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone. This green corridor will be connected by a 100+ mile network of spring-to-spring trails, linking the four iconic springs of Central Texas: Barton Springs, San Marcos Springs, Comal Springs, and San Antonio Springs. I consider myself quite fortunate to work on this incredible regional project that will result in an amenity for Central Texans for generations to come. It’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The URP program provided an excellent foundation upon which I built my career. It prepared me well to understand how this ambitious project was planned, partners needed to implement the plan, and the real estate finance and development program helped me understand the real estate implications for the trail on the parcel level.
Did you do an internship through UTSA, and if so, how was that experience for you?
I had a brief internship with Ford, Powell, and Carson doing some design work for one of the principals. The job wasn’t related to urban planning, but it taught me a bit about photoshop and the design process. I still interact with the architects I met then.
Did you have any mentors or friendships that developed while you were a student and made a profound impact on your future?
I found great mentors at the City of San Antonio that accelerated my career. I still work with some of the students I went to school with as we grow in our careers.
Are there any notable achievements, highlights, or stories from that journey you would want to share with architecture students?
After I graduated from UTSA with a Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning, I engaged in various organizations outside of work including the local chapter of the Urban Land Institute (ULI San Antonio), Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), Leadership Organization of Professionals (LOOP, now SAYP), My Urban SA (no longer exists) and eventually joined boards for some of these and other organizations. These engagements helped me expand my network, kept my knowledge of the community sharp, and helped me advance my career in ways I don’t think would have happened otherwise. It’s crucial to engage in your community in a way that works best for you.
What advice would you give current students preparing to enter the workforce?
- Do what you say you’ll do. Follow through on your commitments.
- Learn to be a good communicator. It will serve you well in any field.
- Never underestimate the value of a strong network. Even if networking doesn’t come naturally to you, get yourself out there. You never know where your next opportunity will come from or who is in a position to recommend you.
- You get out what you put into it. This is true about your education, your career, and your relationships. Be intentional, thoughtful, and lean in. You’ll get it all back and more.
Do you have a life slogan or motto?
I don’t have a motto or life slogan, but I am compelled by a sense of responsibility and achievement. Those guide my actions both personally and professionally.
Is there any additional information you would like to highlight or mention?
Just a shout out to UTSA for the great work they do with students, education, working with the community, and growing in reputation and prominence. Go Roadrunners!
— Storm Goodman
* Sarah graduated from UTSA in 2015 with her Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning before returning to obtain her Graduate Certificate for Real Estate Finance and Development in 2020.
