MES in the Community

Bo Nash (Master of Environmental Studies ’24) felt prepared to start a career in the environmental sector when he completed his undergraduate degree; his challenge was choosing which career path to follow. "I'm interested in so many different things, so I was looking at all sorts of environmental careers—consulting, conservation, and things like that," he recalls. "I really needed to narrow it down." A master’s degree, he felt, would improve his career options and deepen his technical skills. In Penn’s Master of Environmental Studies (MES) program, he also gained hands-on experience and a global perspective on environmental issues. “You can absolutely make the most of this program,” says Bo. “It’s so flexible, and there are so many different opportunities.”

At Penn, Bo found a vibrant and supportive community. "The MES program is very laid back and welcoming. I got to meet incredible people from across the country and around the world," he says. "The professors are super approachable and down to earth—no pun intended." With a focus on resource management, Bo took classes in hydrology, wetlands ecology, and sustainable water development. He also took advantage of the option to take electives from schools across Penn, including a landscape architecture course at the Stuart Weitzman School of Design that explored how to implement nature-based and ecological design solutions. "This program does a really good job of bridging the gaps between the study of the environment and the work of protecting and conserving the environment," he adds. "We had some professors of practice who had been working, for example, at the EPA for 30 years, and getting knowledge from them was a cool experience—and different than learning strictly from academia."

Through his coursework, Bo began to narrow and deepen his environmental interests. “One thing that I got from this program is a good introduction to how water is treated as a resource, not only as a biome,” he says. “It’s an incredibly precious resource. Don't take the water that you have for granted, whether it's a clean lake that you could swim in or clean water that you trust to drink." A research fellowship with The Water Center at Penn gave Bo experience with environmental education, helping students at a local high school explore the history and science of water in Philadelphia. “We wanted to open their eyes to the environmental world and get them connected not only to the two rivers but also to the urban streams we have right here in Philadelphia,” he explains. Bo also had the opportunity to attend World Water Week in Stockholm; he volunteered at the conference, and the department helped to fund his travel. "It's still hard for me to wrap my head around. I got to go to Sweden and have an incredible learning experience with people from all around the world, who are passionate about solving water issues,” he reflects.

For his capstone project, Bo worked with a nonprofit dedicated to land conservation in the Wissahickon Creek watershed. While the nonprofit regularly collects water quality data, its most up to date information isn’t always readily available to the public. Bo offered to compile recent data and present an updated State of the Wissahickon report that is accurate, visually pleasing, and easy to understand. “It’s purely for public use,” he says. “I wanted it to be something that anybody who had any interest at all could see.” This project, like the internship, gave Bo opportunities to help Philadelphia area residents connect to their natural resources. "Whether it's your community or neighborhood, you want to have ready access to nature. And water is so much more than just something nice to look at: It’s something we drink, something we play in, something we get food from,” he says. “What you do on the land is going to affect what's in the water, and vice versa. Having a connection to the water instills in us that this place is ours, and something to take pride in.”

Bo graduated with the Earth and Environmental Science Award for Excellence in Environmental Studies, presented annually to a student who has not only contributed to the field of environmental studies but has also helped the department in a significant way. "That was a proud moment for me,” he says. “I tried to make the absolute most of my time in the program, and it was worth it.”

The next step, he hopes, will be a career in the water sector—whether that means focusing on watershed management, water quality, surface water runoff, or something else. “Wherever and whenever a good opportunity finds me, that’s where I’ll go next,” he laughs. “If I can make a positive impact on the community and environment I’m working, that’s a dream job for me.”