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2 8 dŚĞ ƵƚŚŽƌŝƚLJ │ October related to water quality and system performance. The projects provide hands-on learning opportunities, while helping LCA explore initiatives that might be delayed due to staffing resources. “Our interns are capable of high- level, meaningful work,” Moore said. “Many of the projects they are working on are things we have wanted to pursue but haven’t had the capacity to tackle. They are contributing real results.” Measuring Success Success of the program can be measured in several ways: student feedback, where they get hired post-graduation, whether LCA or somewhere else in our industry, and whether they return. One of the strongest recent indicators that the program is working was when two students were offered the opportunity to return for a second summer, and both said yes. For Caitlin Kirk, a senior studying chemistry and chemical engineering, initially at King’s College and now at Notre Dame, the decision to return was easy. “After my first summer at LCA, I knew I wanted to continue learning from the team and build on the experience I had gained,” Kirk said. “The techniques and knowledge I learned at LCA made a noticeable difference in my laboratory performance during the school year. Returning for a second year has allowed me to take on more meaningful responsibilities, strengthen my technical knowledge, and confirm my interest in pursuing a career focused on clean energy and sustainable engineering.” Grace Trautwein, headed to Stanford University this fall to begin her master's degree in environmental Caitlin Kirk at the Kline’s Island Wastewater Treatment Plant lab, evaluating biosolids. engineering, also returned for a second summer. “I was interested in returning, not only because I enjoyed the work I was doing, but also because of the people I got to work with every day,” Trautwein said. “The work and projects were incredibly interesting and allowed me to utilize what I had learned in my undergraduate coursework in a real-life context.” Trautwein believes the experience provides students with a realistic view of professional life. “The internship program does a great job of preparing students for future careers; between sitting in on meetings, real-life project experience, meeting deadlines, and working in a professional environment, you are exposed to many of the situations you would encounter in a full-time job.” Another measure of success is when interns get hired, whether to LCA jobs or other water industry positions. A 2025 intern, Logan Statler, recently accepted a full-time job as a Systems Administrator in the LCA IT department. Another intern was hired by an engineering firm that works closely with water utilities, and one former intern is now working as a sanitarian for the Department of Environmental Protection. Benefits Beyond Recruiting The program benefits extend beyond the interns. Employees who serve as mentors get to share their institutional knowledge and contribute to the program’s success. It provides a way for experienced professionals to develop leadership skills while they help shape the next generation of water professionals. “We have a lot of knowledgeable employees at LCA,” Moore said. “Some of them haven’t had opportunities to share that knowledge. Through the internship program, employees grow by serving as leaders and teachers, guiding young LCA INTERNS WORK ON REAL PROJECTS THAT IMPACT OUTCOMES , DECISIONS AND OPERATIONS . ŽŶƟŶƵĞĚ ŽŶ ƉĂŐĞ ϱϮ͘