After a quiet summer, the NEWEA Young professionals (YP) Committee is getting back into the swing of things. We’re kicking off a busy fall with a second appearance in the Water for People Softball Tournament and following up on several endeavors started in Spring and Summer leading up to the Annual Conference including:

• New England WWTF Operator Shadowing Program for NEWEA YPs
• Soliciting YP participation as volunteer assistant moderators for Annual Conference
• Planning for Third Consecutive YP Session at 2010 Annual Conference
• Continuing YP Mentor Day with a second year of Student Involvement
• Development of NEWEA Showcase Video with Membership Committee

Since the start of 2009, we’ve also added 4 new members bringing our total Committee membership to 17 YPs! We’ve also benefitted from support from our new Ex-Officio member Frank Occhipinti (Weston & Sampson).

We also developed a new slogan which we unveiled on some classy new shirts at the 2008 WFP Softball Tournament: “Our Water Environment Depends on YOUng Professionals!” This slogan came from the creative thinking of committee member Karla King (AECOM).

Several of our Committee members collaborated with David Van Hoven, Chair of the WFP Committee, and held the first annual Water for People March Madness Charity Bracket, which raised $250 for WFP and hopes to raise more in a better-organized follow-up event in 2010. Thanks to those involved for all your help, especially Stacey De Pasquale Engineering for their donations.

Our 2009 YP Session at the AC offered a great presentation on entrepreneurship by Stacey DePasquale (Stacey DePasquale Engineering) and NEWEA President-Elect Erin Mosley (CH2M HILL, and recent YP) showcased the benefits of NEWEA and WEF for YPs. Ravi Tej Bandi (CDM), YP Committee member and VP of the Boston Engineers Without Borders, also discussed the benefits of EWB. The highlight of the YP Session was our YP panel discussion that consisted of a cross-section of YPs in the wastewater field including a WWTP operator, EPA regulator, consultants, and a representative from manufacturing/technology.

Several of our Committee members collaborated with David Van Hoven, Chair of the WFP Committee, and held the first annual Water for People March Madness Charity Bracket, which raised $250 for WFP and hopes to raise more in a better-organized follow-up event in 2010. Thanks to those involved for all your help, especially Stacey De Pasquale Engineering for their donations.

Our 2009 YP Session at the AC offered a great presentation on entrepreneurship by Stacey DePasquale (Stacey DePasquale Engineering) and NEWEA President-Elect Erin Mosley (CH2M HILL, and recent YP) showcased the benefits of NEWEA and WEF for YPs. Ravi Tej Bandi (CDM), YP Committee member and VP of the Boston Engineers Without Borders, also discussed the benefits of EWB. The highlight of the YP Session was our YP panel discussion that consisted of a cross-section of YPs in the wastewater field including a WWTP operator, EPA regulator, consultants, and a representative from manufacturing/technology. 

The Mentoring Program paired member and non-member YPs new to WEF/NEWEA with more-experienced mentors from NEWEA. The program helps introduce the benefits of WEF, NEWEA, and the Annual Conference to YPs, and encourages networking and new membership to WEF, NEWEA, and committees.

Perhaps it was the ‘Rock Band” game playing on the 42-inch plasma screen in the new YP Lounge, but a record 16 YPs participated in the Mentoring Program in 2009. We hope to continue to improve attendance in 2010 and keep this great program’s momentum and our Committee’s contributions to NEWEA going strong. 
 

Article written by: Eian Lynch, NEWEA YP Committee Chair, Brown and Caldwell