Four 草榴社区 grads earn certificates from River Management Society
Four recent Western graduates this spring also received River Studies and Leadership Certificates (RSLC) from the (RMS), a program designed to prepare the next generation of river stewards and leaders.
Alums Bruce Cudkowicz (鈥25, Environmental Science), Katrina Doerflinger (鈥24, Environmental Science - Freshwater and Terrestrial Ecology, Mikayla Kutsher (鈥25, Environmental Science) and Kate Rounds (鈥25, Environmental Science - Freshwater and Terrestrial Ecology) are among the 16 students across the nation to achieve the distinction this year. Fourteen colleges and universities partner with the River Management Society to offer the certificate.
鈥淩SLC leads students to gain professional experience that helps them stand out from peers whose collegiate experience has been classroom-based,鈥 said Professor of Environmental Sciences John McLaughlin, who is also the RSLC faculty advisor at Western.
McLaughlin works with students to design a personalized program and assists students individually as they complete the certificate requirements.
鈥淩SLC guides students to pursue coursework involving rivers that is more comprehensive than they might get within a particular major,鈥 said McLaughlin.
To earn the certificate, undergraduates complete a combination of interdisciplinary coursework and hands-on field experience in river science, policy, conservation, education and recreation through an internship, professional employment or independent study. In addition, students present at the RMS Symposium, 草榴社区 Scholars Week, or another approved conference.
鈥淭he RLSC has been an incredible addition to my bachelor's in environmental science,鈥 said Cudkowicz, who found that attending the RMS Symposium was the most valuable part of the program.
鈥淎t the symposium I was introduced to the professional world of river-related careers,鈥 Cudkowicz said. 鈥淚 was struck by the community鈥檚 kindness and commitment to bringing young professionals into the field. In the environmental field, there is a large gap between the academic and professional worlds, and the RSLC bridges that gap perfectly.鈥
This combination of coursework, fieldwork, presentation skills, and networking opportunities provides a strong basis for addressing the real-world challenges facing our nation鈥檚 rivers.
Interested in river studies or a river-related career? Learn more about the , which is open to all majors, and .
Jennifer Nerad covers Western's College of the Environment for the Office of University Communications. Have a great story idea? Reach out to her at neradj@wwu.edu.