Dean Charles D. Boyer of the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology was accompanied by other CSU leaders in Washington (D.C.) on Wednesday, February 26 to discuss the role of CSU’s Water Resources and Policy Initiatives.

This was part of the CSU’s “Hill Day,” activities. Along with Dean Boyer, CSU presidents Jeffrey Armstrong of Cal Poly San Louis Obispo, Alexander Gonzalez of Sacramento State, Michael Oritz of Cal Poly Pomona, and Tomas Morales of CSU San Bernardino educated the California Congressional delegation about the Water Resources and Policy Initiatives (WRPI) and its mission to tackle the California Water Crisis. California Congresswoman Grace F. Napolitano of the 32nd district of California hosted the briefing.

WRPI was established in 2008 and has since spearheaded multiple grants and initiatives that fund the education of California’s future water professionals, developing industry/university partnerships and advancing technology.

Through a $2 million USDA internship program and a memorandum of understanding with the Environmental Protection Agency, hands-on learning experiences and future careers in the water industry are readily available CSU students. Over 200 CSU students have already been placed in water industry related internships

WRPI has also focused its efforts in enriching the rural or underprivileged communities in the Central Valley of California. Through a $150,000 USDA Rural Services grant, material will be developed for a water certification program. Director Boykin Witherspoon said the course will potentially aid small farming communities properly manage water supplies, which in turn can impact the entire state.

WPRI shares numerous collections of water research archives with the Water Research Institute (WRI). The WRPI and the WRI are based out of CSU San Bernardino and will potentially use these documents to cultivate solutions to the water issues that lawmakers, farmer, environmentalists and other stakeholders have been addressing for years.

(Copy by Ashlie Day, University Communications news student assistant).

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