Openings (continued)

Also in this issue we continue to feature our pride and joy, success stories of alum of our environmental science programs. In this issue you will learn about Joel Wagner’s important contributions to wetland science and policy in both the Everglades, in his position at the South Florida Research Center, and across the U.S., in his position as Wetland Program Leader with the National Park Service. We also feature the success stories of Jennifer Steadman and Steve Ryan, who met at SPEA, married after graduation, and, like Joel Wagner, moved to Florida to begin their post-SPEA careers. Jennifer is making exciting and important contributions protecting water resources and sensitive environmental areas at the county level in Sarasota, FL and Steve continues to move up the ladder at Progress Energy Florida (formerly Florida Power). Steve currently serves as Senior Environmental Specialist and Laboratory Supervisor at Progress Energy Florida’s Bartow Power Plant. We are very proud of the important contributions that our alums continue to make through a wide variety of career paths. As illustrated in these three success stories, the MSES degree provides a firm grounding for careers ranging from the local to regional to national level in public agencies, as well as in industry or utilities. As we begin a new academic year, we also reflect on the celebrations that took place at the end of the last academic year. Three graduation ceremonies in May 2005 marked the transition of SPEA students to graduates who join SPEA’s ever-growing number of environmental alum. In this issue we share with you some scenes from our three formal graduation events, which celebrated the achievements of our 2005 graduates. We hope that our new alum will join the rest of you in sharing your post-SPEA endeavors and successes. We certainly enjoy hearing from you and passing your stories onto your fellow alum, current students, and friends of SPEA’s environmental programs in future issues of the Environmental Science Report. Please send an e-mail message or letter to the editor, Bill Jones to let us know what you are up to. If you would like to share your stories and career advice with prospective and current students more directly, we would be happy to facilitate such efforts. There are always opportunities for participation in graduate recruiting affairs, calling prospective students, and or mentoring current students. If you would like to help us spread the word about SPEA’s environmental programs and aid in recruiting efforts, please contact our director of Graduate Student Services, Jennifer Forney or our graduate recruiter, Chad Christiansen. Rachel Kearney, director of Career Services & Alumni Affairs would be more than happy to facilitate mentoring opportunities with current students. Best wishes, Deb Backhus Associate Professor and Convener of the Environmental Science Faculty