#  ORU and Harvard: A Collaboration That Transforms Realities 

 





September 03, 2025

 

 

   ![ORU team](/sites/g/files/omnuum12451/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2025-09/IMG_1202%20%281%29.jpg?itok=kAaqTZGK) 

 

[**The Urban Resilience Office (ORU)** ](https://www.o-ru.mx/)was born from friendships and collaborations among young Mexicans at Harvard. What began as an idea among peers has since evolved into a pioneering space for urban, environmental, and social projects in Mexico—always with a vision grounded in collective and human-centered work.

A key part of this journey has been the **DRCLAS Summer Internship Program (SIP) in Mexico.** In recent years, ORU has welcomed nearly ten Harvard students whose contributions have left a mark on the organization, while their own experiences in Mexico have proved equally transformative.

> *“Every student arrives with energy, fresh ideas, and a commitment that inspires the entire team,” the ORU team reflects. “It’s a win-win: their presence motivates our local collaborators, refreshes our dynamics, and strengthens connections with the international academic community.”*

**Connecting Roots and Future: Julie’s Story**

This summer, ORU hosted **Julie Lopez,** a Harvard student passionate about urban planning, social justice, and sustainability. For her, the internship was much more than professional training—it was also a reconnection with her heritage.

> *“I chose Mexico because my parents are from the State of Mexico, and I had never visited,”* Julie explained. *“I felt it was something missing in my life: to connect more with my culture.”*

Leaving Chicago for one of the world’s largest cities, she worried about adapting to a new environment. But her anxieties quickly gave way to a sense of belonging.

   ![Julie Lopez SIP student](/sites/g/files/omnuum12451/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2025-09/IMG_1229.jpg?itok=sHLBVvcf) 

 

> *“Everything changed when I saw how affectionate people are here. They always welcome you with a hug and time to teach you,”* she said.

At ORU, Julie worked on water and sustainability projects, creating story maps that highlighted how access to water and community spaces transforms lives. Her mentors praised her ability to translate complex work into accessible narratives, while Julie herself found the experience reshaped her understanding of urban planning.

> *“Before, I didn’t feel much connection to nature,”* she reflected. *“Here I understood that without learning from it, it’s impossible to think about real urban planning. Now I want to dedicate my career to water, climate, and sustainable communities.”*

Julie also drew parallels between Mexico and her own hometown of Chicago, where she had studied gentrification in immigrant neighborhoods. Observing similar dynamics in Mexico underscored for her the importance of listening to local voices.

> Looking back, she calls SIP *“one of the best experiences I will have at Harvard”* and credits it with shaping both her career path and personal outlook.

   ![ORU Office](/sites/g/files/omnuum12451/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2025-09/IMG_1207.jpg?itok=NErEwGr6) 

 

**More Than Internships: Long-Term Connections**

Julie’s story is part of a larger pattern at ORU, where internships often grow into lasting collaborations. One notable example is **Cristina Dávila,** a former SIP intern who soon became project coordinator for an international initiative on coastal urban regions and biodiversity.

> *“Going from intern to project manager in such a short time is unique,”* ORU recalls. *“It also shows the mutual trust that arises in these programs.”*

**Investing in Real Impact**

Stories like Julie’s and Cristina’s highlight how SIP fosters far more than summer experiences. The program builds networks of collaboration, inspires new generations of leaders, and strengthens projects with tangible impacts on communities.

> *“In the end, the multiplier effect is enormous,”* ORU reflects. *“It’s not measured just in numbers, but in the seeds of transformation that each student takes with them and leaves in the communities we work with.”*

Together, ORU and Harvard are cultivating not just future professionals, but long-lasting connections that transform realities—both in Mexico and beyond.

*Special thanks to Guillermo Chavez, Elena Tudela, Victor Rico, Adriana Chavez, co-founders of ORU, and Julie Lopez, SIP 2025 student in Mexico, for sharing their experiences.*

   ![Oru Team](/sites/g/files/omnuum12451/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/2025-09/Screenshot%202025-09-03%20154923.jpg?itok=T6Ir17Ct) 

 



 

 

 



 

 See also:- [ Mexico ](/locations/mexico)
- [ Mexico ](/programs-initiatives/mexico)
 
 

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