Yesterday, June 19, at Florida Gateway College in Lake City, the Technical Advisory Committee for Water Resource Training Programs met to discuss their newly created Water College where students can earn degrees in water management.
Committee members David Shoup, Water College Director; Charles Shinn, Florida Farm Bureau; David Still, Potash Co.; Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson, Our Santa Fe River were present along with Renee Dukeman, Gateway College; John Rowe, professor at Gateway; Ali Messenger, professor at Gateway and Mackinsey Shipeck, intern with Our Santa Fe River.
Highlights for discussion were classes in wetlands environments, control of water- borne diseases, water systems operations and treatment, water economics, regional water supply issues, watershed management and ecology and biology. Also discussed were new universal numerical and prefix designations, as this is an entirely new curriculum-based approach to achieving a water- based degree. This is the only school in the nation to approach this type of degree in water intensive instruction.
