Graduate Spotlight: Meet Erick Hume, a Recent Graduate of the Military Master Planning Institute
Meet Erick Hume, an experienced Army construction technician and military planner, and a recent graduate of the Department of Defense Master Planning Institute (MMPI)! Erick’s military planning experience meshed perfectly with the MMPI program, and he gained valuable experience through learning from others and approaching problems collaboratively.
Q: Can you tell me a bit about yourself and your background?
A: My name is Erick Hume, I am currently a Facility Planner for Rubicon Planning. I’ve been doing this for the last three years and prior to that I served in our Army for 23 years. While serving in our Army, I worked 14 years as a Construction Warrant Officer (120A – W4) and 9 years as a Construction Technician (12T – E7). Prior to that, I worked for about 3 to 4 years in the trades.
Q: What first drew you to the MMPI Program and what were you hoping to get out of a program like this?
A: My background is mostly military construction, and residential construction prior to the military. I also have a degree in construction management and urban planning from the University of Washington so this seemed like a good fit going forward. This was the first program I ever saw that blended military planning with civilian planning. This program gives me hope for academics and sees that there is a difference between planning for the military and planning for the civilian world.
Q: While you were in the program, was there a specific course or part of the program that had a big impact on your skills or perspective?
A: The capstone class! In that class, I met a lot of different people and professionals who have been in the field for a long time and come from very diverse backgrounds. I’ve always liked seeing how people approach the same problem in different ways. My analogy is watching someone touch a hot stove and burn their hand — you think, okay, I don’t want to do that. It’s the same here: you’re given a problem set and get to see how others approach it. I might approach it differently, but I like to sit back, watch their process, and learn from it. The capstone was the class where I met the most people and was exposed to the widest range of backgrounds and perspectives.
Q: Can you describe a memorable project, assignment, or real-world planning challenge you had the chance to work on during the program?
A: We worked on Benelux, where we assessed the different vulnerabilities and threats across the region. A lot of people chose other bases, but we chose Benelux because it has four primary locations along with multiple additional sites, which gave us a real smorgasbord of different threats from environmental sea-level issues to terrorism threats. I really liked that project because it gave us a lot of real-world assessment experience and showed us how to evaluate one region with multiple locations.
Q: How has this program shaped your career path or your day-to-day responsibilities in your current role?
A: In my current role, we do a lot of work in Excel, so we’re very data-heavy with analysis and input. We use R Plans, ASIP, and HUIS a lot, which are all Excel-driven programs. Through these projects, though, I’ve learned that you need to present data visually, a picture really does say a thousand words. This program taught me to refocus beyond how to present a project. My urban planning degree emphasized that as well, but coming back for this certificate reinforced that you can’t just show someone raw data and an answer. Using graphics makes a big difference. This program has really shaped my day-to-day work by helping me present data in a more digestible way.
Q: What is a favorite memory of yours from your time in the program?
A: I really liked the capstone class with the Arlington Cemetery project, where we walked across the cemetery and identified places where gathering spaces could be added. The goal was to enhance Arlington without taking away from it, and I really enjoyed the social interaction in that class. I understand why many of the courses were remote, but the face-to-face human interaction made that class and project especially meaningful to me. That leads me back to it’s not always what people say, it’s what they don’t say – facial reactions tell you what they’re actually saying. That’s why I really liked the in-person class and I really liked that project to be able to see what they are really saying. Again, my favorite memory was that project in general, being able to interact with everybody, and seeing how others approach problems.
Q: What advice do you have to anyone who is considering the MMPI Program?
A: My advice is to come in with an open mind and try to see how other people approach the same problem. What I really liked about this program is that all the people are in the same field; we’re all generally somewhat facilities planners for the military so we’re all in a niche field. There’s a lot of different ways to approach the same problem so my advice would be to come in with an open mind and remember that your way might be a way but it might not be the way. It’ll give you ideas on how to approach and solve different problems in the future.
About the Department of Defense Master Planning Institute
UVA | Northern Virginia, the UVA School of Architecture, and the US Army Corps of Engineers are partnering to offer a Department of Defense Master Planning Institute in Northern Virginia. This Institute allows participants to become Military Master Planners through an innovative and immersive program that is the perfect blend of academic prowess and hands-on military planning expertise.