Alumni Spotlight- Jenny Avery
My background is an example of what you majored in in college may not be where you end up later in life. The Great Recession upended my original life plans of being a professor in Asian Studies (my undergrad degree). I ended up getting a “real job” in construction management, which led to a career in stormwater inspection and compliance. After 10 years in the private sector I moved to the regulator side. Despite my experience I could not move beyond an analyst position at the State due to lacking a science degree. Being in EPM allowed me to immediately move into a high range Environmental Scientist position. I currently work at the State Water Resource Control Board’s Office of Enforcement, where I investigate water quality violations and help enforce regulations such as the Clean Water Act.
As someone who worked full-time and balanced being a full-time student, what advice would you give to other students who are in a similar situation?
Time management and communication skills will be critical to your success. Grad school alone can be overwhelming, and balancing graduate and professional work will intensify this. You’ll need to give grace to and be patient with your cohort–not all of them will have the life experience you bring, and may not understand your scheduling challenges. However, your professors will have that experience. I’m grateful to those at Davis who granted me flexibility in assignments and testing to accommodate work priorities. Give yourself some grace as well. Nobody is expecting perfection!
Also critical is the reminder you’re not alone in this. Your family, friends, and professional network are there to help. Don’t be afraid to ask! You have more support than you think. I could not have accomplished what I did without my network helping me–from my partner having meals prepped and chores done, to friends reading paper drafts, to coworkers providing professional insights on concepts I struggled with.
Which class was your favorite and why?
I can’t just pick one, but two are at the top. Geology of California was incredibly insightful since I’m not originally from California. The course gave me a great overview of what makes this State unique. If I had grown up here I might’ve become a geologist!
For EPM courses, I greatly enjoyed the Environmental Law class. During our mock negotiations it was fun to go into “work mode” and be told by my cohort I was intimidating but professional since I gave no wriggle room and knew when to apply pressure.
How did the core coursework apply to your work with the state?
Since I work in water quality enforcement it was great getting the full historical, legal, and scientific background to everything I otherwise learned on the job. Especially helpful were the Environmental Law courses which helped me gain a better appreciation of how my State lawyer coworkers interpret regulations and past decisions. Through this I learned how to better present my data in my investigations to strengthen the viability of our cases.
Do you have tips for students on how to integrate a Practicum project into their full-time work load?
Take a realistic look at the proposed Practicum projects compared to your professional work. I recommend selecting a Practicum that closely aligns with work you’re already doing, if you’re not planning a career pivot. Time is already at a premium for you, and selecting a Practicum that may be more personally interesting but time consuming is just adding a third job to your rotation. Selecting one more aligned with your present work can also help expand your network.
What is one takeaway from your experience at UC Davis?
My experience was incredibly supportive despite me being more on the periphery due to work. I can only imagine the experience for a full time student who can fully immerse themselves in the program. I’m thankful for the experience, and for the new friends and professional connections I made.