section news
www.ca-nv-awwa.org 7
San Jose State Student Chapter
Celebrates One-Year Anniversary
In an effort to engage the next generation
of water professionals, last July CA-NV
accepted its first student chapter, a
group of 20 students from San Jose State
University (SJSU). We’re happy to report
that AWWA-SJSU is now celebrating its
one-year anniversary and its members have
been very busy.
The Section initiated its effort to recruit
student chapters after the Membership
Committee established a goal of increasing
student membership for 2013. The idea is
to facilitate connections between universities
and CA-NV’s large utility or service
member providers who can mentor student
members, and to provide students opportunities
for education and involvement at the
Section level. Coincidentally at the same
time the Section was developing its plans,
Patrick LaBruzzo, an engineering student
from San Jose State University, approached
Section leadership to discuss student
involvement and got the official go-ahead
as of July 2012.
LaBruzzo, who now serves as chapter president,
describes the chapter’s purpose. “Our
goal is to increase our members’ understanding
of the water industry by way of
research, discussion, education, and involvement
and to create a multidisciplinary community
of San Jose State University students
with a common interest in water issues
and the water industry and to be a conduit
of learning between industry leaders and
students.”
AWWA-SJSU members have attended each
of the Section’s conference since the chapter’s
inception. The chapter has co-hosted
a water treatment and potable water tank
construction tour with an American Society
of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Student Chapter,
organized a jobsite tour of the campus
potable and reclaimed water system, partnered
with the SJSU Environmental Studies
Department an anti-water-bottle campaign,
located internships for two members, organized
and funded a water research paper
competition through the ASCE Mid Pacific
Regional Student Conference, where the
chapter have also been helping with a water
treatment competition, and sponsored
a paper submission to the Environment
and Water Resources Institute’s Parsons
Brinckerhoff Student Design Competition.
“AWWA-SJSU has exposed me to the
inherent value and essential need for water,”
says chapter Vice President David Kehn. “It
has inspired me to dedicate my knowledge,
career and passion towards providing quality,
safe and reliable water for everybody.”
“We view student members as an important
facet of the organization and are dedicated
to cultivating their interest in the
water community,” said CA-NV Executive
Director Tim Worley. “Our hope is to ignite a
new generation of water advocates who are
excited and passionate about their work.”
AWWA-SJSU’s plans for the future include
succession planning to insure the chapter
doesn’t languish and hosting Sectionsponsored
technical seminars and training
classes on campus. “We want to serve the
local water industry and this is the best we
see to do it,” says LaBruzzo.
The chapter would like to thank advisors
Terry McKinney, Superintendent of Productions
at the City of Santa Cruz Water
Department, and Robert Guzzetta, Vice
President Operations at California Water
Service Company. “They have given more
than we could ever ask for,” says LaBruzzo,
and their dedication and support for the
future of the industry should be recognized.”
Shortly after the induction of the SJSU Student
Chapter, the Section’s governing board voted
to accept a second student chapter from the
University of California, Davis. S
By Grace Cardenas
Members of the AWWA-SJSU Student Chapter, left to right: Shaun Mehl, Josie Rushton, Michael
Coleman, Alan Au, Patrick LaBruzzo (president), Andrea Bautista, and David Kehn (vice president).
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