A Reflection from Brooke

By Brooke Andrews

In the summer of 2023, coming out of my junior year of college, I had few expectations starting my summer internship at WATER. It was my first time having an office job, so all I had to go on was what I saw on TV or heard from my parents. I was concerned about long hours, monotonous tasks, and a stale atmosphere. I’m glad to report that the WATER office failed to deliver any of those things!

Instead, this office welcomed me warmly and quickly made me a valued member. I got to make a deep impact through my duties, which ranged from program planning to website editing to archival work. I met many diverse and extraordinary people in Zoom meetings and trips to the Capitol. My time was supposed to be over with WATER’s annual break in August. But when the time came, no one, including myself, was ready for me to leave.

Since September, I have continued my work, now as a part-time employee. Twice a week I take the Metro from College Park to Silver Spring to spend time doing whatever is needed. Each week presents a new project, so even after nearly a year, I have never felt bored. On top of that, what’s even better than doing the work is seeing the impact. Small tasks, like writing something in our newsletter or drafting an email, feel monumental when I see the list of thousands of names of people who will be reading my words.

I have been affectionately told that my experience at WATER has spoiled me for future office jobs, and I agree completely. Never will I feel satisfied unless I know that my work positively affects others. I am blessed to have this job and community to shape my perception of what role a career should take in a person’s life. When I graduate from college this Spring and look to the future ahead, I’ll take the lessons I have learned at WATER with me.