PMP

Reed Winter — remote student

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 22:33:52 +0000

Reed Winter — remote student Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 11/20/2023 - 15:33

Susan Glairon

In the fall of 2022, Reed Winter embarked on a journey to enhance his skills and knowledge in water resource management. Living in Vermont and employed by a small water resource firm, Winter decided to refine his engineering knowledge through the CU Boulder’s Water Engineering and Management Professional Master's Program and take all his classes online. He also saw an opportunity for professional growth, with his employer willing to invest in his education.

“I wanted to become a better engineer,” said Winter, who has a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering.

With classes offered in the evenings and asynchronously, Winter is able to seamlessly participate in the program while working full-time, he said. In the upcoming semester he plans to align his coursework with his professional responsibilities, specifically by enrolling in classes focused on wastewater and drinking water treatment.

“It’s been a good experience,” Winter said. “All the professors have been great. It's given me the confidence and knowledge to tackle new things at work.”

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Meg Parker — traditional student

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 21:30:10 +0000

Meg Parker — traditional student Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 11/20/2023 - 14:30

Susan Glairon

While working at a water nonprofit, Meg Parker found her passion for engineering and decided to pursue a master's degree.

Parker, armed with a BS degree in environmental science from Cornell University, discovered the perfect match in CU Boulder’s Water Engineering and Management Professional Master's Program (WE&M PMP). Motivated by its water and engineering focus coupled with the opportunity to prepare for the Fundamentals of Engineering exam — the first step towards achieving professional engineering licensure in the United States — Parker obtained her MS in civil engineering through CU Boulder's WE&M PMP program in December 2019.

“It checked all my boxes,” said Parker, who added she completed the program in a year and a half and then immediately launched her engineering career.

Parker described the industry professional speakers as “phenomenal” and said they played a pivotal role in her securing an engineering position in a wastewater utility.

“I really can’t speak highly enough about Professor (Richard) Kuchenrither and the program,” said Parker, who still connects with Kuchenrither and some of the professional speakers through industry events. “It was the perfect opportunity.”

Parker spent 3.5 years post-graduation working for a wastewater utility. This past summer she transitioned to an engineering role at Carollo, a water engineering firm in Denver.

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John McCarl — balancing work, online and in-person classes

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 21:01:56 +0000

John McCarl — balancing work, online and in-person classes Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 11/20/2023 - 14:01

Susan Glairon

While living in California during a drought, John McCarl decided to shift his career from the defense industry to water resource engineering. McCarl says living in the West heightened his awareness of the “critical significance of water.”

“I wanted to be part of the solution,” said McCarl, who holds an undergraduate degree in industrial and systems engineering.

To achieve his goals, McCarl enrolled in CU Boulder’s Water Engineering and Management Professional Master’s Program (WE&M PMP).

McCarl said he successfully juggled full-time work with the online program, and later adopted a hybrid (online and in-person class) approach after he moved to South Denver, allowing him to interact in person with fellow students and professors.

McCarl now works for Hazen and Sawyer engineering and consulting firm, designing water treatment facilities.

“What sets this program apart are its strong industry connections,” McCarl said.” It helped me expand my professional network, introduced me to new contacts, and paved the way for internships and future job opportunities.”

McCarl said the program's network of professional engineer instructors and their recommendations played a crucial role in securing his initial job. The instructors also provided "tips, tricks and guidance" which proved invaluable during the the certification exams for his Professional Engineer license.

“I managed to continue working while earning my master’s degree, enjoying the best of both worlds," he said.

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