Last summer, in July 2023, a few months after having moved to San Antonio, I was excited to see that there was an Education & Engagement Internship posted with the San Antonio River Authority (River Authority). After having graduated from Texas State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Geography with a concentration in Water Resources, I thought, “This is right up my alley!” I had learned about river authorities throughout the state in my courses, so I was relatively familiar with their function and purpose, but I felt as though this specific position would be a wonderful opportunity to put my schooling AND my social skills to good use.
At the beginning, I was slowly introduced to all the River Authority’s many departments, projects, and initiatives. In the process, I learned a wealth about the history of the San Antonio River Watershed and our agency’s role in its conservation from my colleagues. Having a well-balanced knowledge of our agency’s mission and vision was essential to my new role in finding ways to connect stakeholders and community members to all that our organization does and to connect them to their waterways to educate and inspire stewardship. This internship, no doubt, was a wonderful opportunity to build a wide variety of professional skills. Learning how to communicate with a vast audience of community members of all different backgrounds and ages is one of the biggest skills I developed over the last year alongside teamwork, adaptability, problem-solving, creativity, and so much more.
My main responsibilities during my internship entailed providing support to our amazing River Warrior Volunteer Program and, on occasion, educational programming, tabling events, and even volunteering internally to support other events hosted by the River Authority. As a former water quality monitoring citizen scientist (which had inspired my choice of degree), I was given the opportunity to actually become a liaison for the River Authority and the Texas Stream Team located at the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment in San Marcos at my alma mater; talk about full-circle! Now I maintain our partnership and support citizen scientists with water quality monitoring kits and organizing further trainings.
It did not take long for me to realize how wonderfully fulfilling I found this role to be. Not only was I offered an opportunity to work alongside and learn from all our amazing experts across different departments about the things I have a deep passion for, but I was given the opportunity to connect with the people who make up our River Warrior family. These incredible individuals inspire leadership and are active participants in environmental education, conservation, and stewardship. In working with the River Warriors, I found that sharing all that the River Authority does with others is essential to empowering and equipping the communities and individuals we serve with the tools they need to contribute positively to society, make informed decisions for themselves and the environment, and to continue spreading the good word!
As my one-year anniversary at the River Authority neared, signaling the end of my internship, I was delighted at the opportunity to apply for a part-time position as a Public Affairs Coordinator to continue growing and working alongside the education and engagement team. Without a doubt, I accepted the offer! I hope to connect our team to new external partnerships, support growing engagement in our southern counties, and contribute fresh ideas to engage our neighbors. Taking on this internship has been an extremely valuable experience for me in my career. I am living proof that internships can be a fantastic way to develop and refine professional skills, network, explore careers, and gain real-world experience!
