Hi all! First off I would just like to thank the Environmental Studies Program for everything I have been able to accomplish these past couple years. I graduated in December of 2016 with an Environmental Studies degree with an emphasis in Natural Resources and two minors in, Fisheries and Wildlife and Water Science.
I now work at the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department in the Environmental Public Health Division. I assist with development, implementation, and coordination specific to Keep Lincoln and Lancaster County Beautiful (KLLCB) programming that helps support a healthy community and sustained behavior change through work with businesses, non-profits, volunteer agencies, professional associations, and the public. This Includes assisting to implement and coordinate a multifaceted educational approach to minimize and/or eliminate illegal dumping in Lancaster County.
I have also been tasked to help teach garbology classes to Lincoln Public School Kindergarteners, this curriculum teaches about litter reduction (reduce, reuse, recycle).
My position also assists with household hazardous materials and waste management program education and behavior change initiatives. I assist with household hazardous waste collection events and the Hazardous Materials Collection Center education and assist with the development and implementation of a green cleaning kit to help the community make safer choices on hazardous and toxic products used in the household.
I have never held a position such as this before and the short time that I have worked here has been one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever been a part of. I really have a fun time with everything that I do and I would encourage students to look for public service positions after graduation. This is a grant funded position which means I don’t know if I will be here next year, but there are many opportunities out there. With the experience and knowledge gained from a position such as this I have unlimited opportunities for the future.
We are all trying to make the world a better place. With everything that the ENVR program taught me, I have been able to make countless strides towards that goal.
- Ryan Becker ('16)
