This week marks the first week of my last year
as a "UD" River Steward. Of course once a Stew, always a Stew, so I
look forward to continuing my Stewardship for the rest of my life—in Dayton or
elsewhere.
Today, as I sat in my CEE 403 (Transportation
Engineering) class, the professor asked the class “which mode of transportation
was the first to be utilized”? Not including walking or riding animals, he
explained that water-ways were the first mode of transportation. He explained
that our Major cities are built around bodies of water (namely rivers) for that
very reason. This statement triggered a flood of memories from my first
orientation as a River Steward. I recalled a lecture by Dr. Pair about the
formation of the Great Miami Valley Buried Aquifer, lessons about river life
and general words of wisdom from Bro. Don Geiger, observing macro
invertebrates, learning how to hold a kayak paddle with Amy and Eric, Leslie
showing me how rivers are analogous to life, and much more.
In an unsuspecting way, things briefly came full
circle for me. I was able to see how the learn, lead, serve theme has played
out over the years. And now, as I embark upon my senior year, I’m excited to
serve alongside the 2014 cohort. It has been a pleasant ride thus far, and I
anticipate that the journey ahead will be fun, challenging, and filled with
growth.
Here is to one more year!
Alexander
