Having grown up along the Saint John’s River in Palatka, Florida, Victoria Clower, Class of 2018, has been fascinated with water most of her life. “I remember visiting the docks and watching in awe as people fished and boated. I loved going to Florida’s beaches and also spending time in my friends’ pools. Floating down the Ichetucknee River was just another weekend for me.” By age eleven Clower knew she wanted to study environmental engineering and learn how to conserve the world’s most precious natural resource.
An environmental studies major with a minor in environmental science, Clower turned to Wesleyan’s Center for Career Development for assistance in securing a local internship involving water sustainability and conservation. Clower found the ideal position working with the director of the Macon Water Authority.
Clower says the internship has opened her eyes to the complexities of keeping our water systems safe. Her responsibilities include gathering water samples from Macon’s rivers, creeks, and streams, and conducting tests to make sure the city water supply remains safe. In the lab, she tests for clarity, Ph levels, ammonia, and E. coli, and documents the results.
Clower has been offered a full-time job with Macon Water Authority when she graduates in May. While still considering her options, she hopes to join the Peace Corps in a year or so and work with environmental education and conservation efforts in Peru’s rural communities. Her long-term goals are to attend graduate school and earn a degree in water sustainability and management and help businesses reduce their water footprints.