Water Leadership by Kelsey Saylor, 2023 Cohort

Ever since I was a little girl, the water is something that has always inspired me. My entire life has revolved around various bodies of water that have shaped who I am today. When I was young, my family would go to Topsail Island, NC and my cousins and I spent hours of our lives exploring the shores of the Atlantic. As I got older my family spent most of our time around lake Pymatuning in western Pennsylvania. My sister and I spent more time in the water than out, completely convinced we were mermaids. The water has become an integral part of my most treasured memories.

As I have grown older, I have also come to value leadership and the hard work and dedication needed to become a person worth following. Currently, I am a member of Army ROTC Battalion on campus and will be serving as the fall semester Battalion Commander. With this role comes a lot of responsibility, loyalty, diligence, and honesty. These four traits are ones that I have come to value when learning and exploring how to be an effective leader. 

When I look at my experience on the water -- and the future leader I want myself to be -- I see many correlations between the two. The predictability and constancy of water has taught me that these traits – among others -- are necessary in a leader. Water has existed for billions of years, and we always trust that it will remain long after we are gone. That irreplaceable trust in water is what a leader hopes to inspire in those around them. In my future career, I want my soldiers to know that I have their back and that I will be as constant as water in my decision-making. 

Within my experience as a River Steward at the University of Dayton I have learned a lot about myself, my cohort, and the water that shapes us. As a leader it is important to find things that bind a group together. Water is a perfect example of something that has the capability to bind and create deep and unyielding bonds. Everyone has a connection to the water; it is up the to leader to explore and expand upon them. The friendships I have created through River Stewards have strengthened my leadership ability ten-fold and I would not be who I am today without the organization.

Water and Leadership by Emma Allington, 2023 Cohort

 My experience with the Rivers Institute and water has helped me to bring more of myself to the table in roles of leadership. The most recent module of the Environmental Justice Academy (EJA) serves as an excellent example of this. Katie, another Stew, and I have assisted the steering team by planning and facilitating high-energy icebreakers to open the second day of the monthly modules.

This week’s activity was a Mad Libs about the academy, as the theme of the module was reflection. If you are not familiar with this game, basically you are given a list of parts of speech (ie noun, adjective, number) that you fill in without seeing the context, and then you insert them into a story. One of the participants asked me to explain what an interjection was, so, obviously, I started singing the song from Schoolhouse Rock and then gave some examples. As I walked back to the front of the room Katie jokingly said something around the lines of: “Are you sure you’re not an elementary school teacher?” referencing my high energy level and exaggerated body language.

Just so everyone knows, I am not an education major of any sort; I am, in fact, majoring in civil and environmental engineering. This technical side of my brain has defined my leadership style thus far (the group-chat-making, Google-Drive-loving, meeting-minutes-taking type), and I feel weird deviating from this box. As Leslie always reminds us Stews, I am trying to bring my full self to the table instead of compartmentalizing into a myriad of “hats,” but this has involved a lot of unlearning, mostly based on what I think is appropriate (the meticulous, note-taking Emma) and inappropriate (the playful, singing Emma) for important spaces like the Environmental Justice Academy. This dichotomy is obviously not true, as both the EJA participants and steering team give us glowing reports of how much they enjoy our hair-brained icebreakers. All of this to say: I am trying to take Leslie’s words to heart and bring myself (in all my meeting-minutes-loving, preschool-vibing glory) to the table.

I am feeling very reflective right now, so here is a poem reminiscent of my eighth-grade English class with Mrs. Marks:

Water is water

Even if it boils,

Like the stuff for my tea

While I burn midnight oil.

Water is water

Even if it freezes,

Although cold temperature

Often gives me the sneezes

Water is water

Even if it is glassy,

Suggesting a stroll 

Or a day full of relaxing.

Seeing the Fitz Center Principles in Action by Katie Dawson, 2023 Cohort

 The initial River Stewards orientation exposed me to the Fitz Center principles. These principles

are a framework that guide leaders as they navigate through the community. The principles are as

follows: 

 Community assets: Communities meet needs and solve problems with their gifts,

strengths, and assets.

 Social capital: Trustful relationships are necessary for community building and

strengthening.

 Constructive public conversations: Balanced inquiry and advocacy is critical in all

dialogue.

 Adaptive capacity: Change comes from learning together.

 Widely shared vision: A collective community vision is more powerful than any

individual vision.

Reading those principles on paper or hearing them verbatim doesn’t amount to the intentionality

of each principle and how it directly correlates to the work of a servant leader. As I’ve been

involved through the River stewards program, I’ve heard from community partners about their

work to revitalize Dayton. It’s evident that the principles guide leaders throughout the

community despite being unaffiliated with the Fitz Center. As the semester is coming to an end,

I’ve reflected on times throughout minicourses where the principles came to life.

The principle of locating community assets was apparent as Hope Taft from the Little Miami

Watershed Network discussed our local rivers and how they attribute to our sense of belonging

in the community and benefiting our local economy through recreation. Her network ensures this

asset is maintained by cleaning the Little Miami river and advocating for its health.

The importance of social capital is evident through the 2022 cohort’s senior capstone project.

Their installation of the little free library and the drinking fountain proposal in neighborhood

parks was guided by community conversation and ensuring trust between stakeholders.

The ReImagining Symposium reflected the principle of constructive public conversations.

Community leaders were able to highlight their proposed projects in Dayton and initiate

feedback and conversations about the future of our community and what it ideally looks like.

I personally was impacted by the conversation between the River Stewards, the Sierra Club, and

Guy Jones as our discussion reflected adaptive capacity. Learning from each other about the

power of language and local advocacy of the river requires us to step out of our comfort zone and

reflect on habits to decipher whether they attribute to the common good.

It was evident through the City of Dayton’s Meg Maloney (River Steward alum) and

neighborhood advocate, Jerry Bolwing III, how valuable a widely shared vision is throughout

community work. Meg and Jerry collaborate to advocate for the superfund sites in Dayton to

ensure health and safety amongst the residents that live in those neighborhoods. Their shared

vision despite various backgrounds attributes to the success of the project.

By reflecting on these principles in action, it’s evident how intentional and significant they are.

As the 2023 cohort is navigating through the logistics stage of their project with the Dakota

Center, we must refer to the principles to ensure we are modeling the Fitz Center values and

leadership that we’ve seen throughout the Dayton community thus far.

Learning About Dayton and Myself Through River Stewards by Lily Pestorius, 2024 Cohort

  As a first year student at UD I had no knowledge or connection to the City of Dayton. I did not know of any opportunities to learn and participate in service hours in the city or even where to start. In the past year, I have learned more about the City of Dayton than I have about my own hometown that I lived in for 18 years. I have more connections through River Stewards that have allowed me to learn so much more about service opportunities out in nature. I would have never learned about the Aquifer or the Great Miami Watershed if I had not joined River Stewards. I have always enjoyed nature. Being able to learn and volunteer my time for service projects has been a highlight of my time here at UD. I have always felt connected to nature and have always wanted to help the environment. As I have become more independent while attending UD, I have also been able to become more sustainable. Sustainability is such an important part of my life. So being more connected to the Dayton community and being able to learn about the sustainable efforts the city is making has been so amazing. I have been able to see that I do not need to always make a huge impact, it is just as important to make a small impact. River Steward’s service hours have allowed me to find opportunities to serve outdoors. I also would have never learned about the difference between “serving” and “volunteering”. Because it really is a mindset that you are not just “helping” the community, you are serving them. It is so important to understand the community you are interacting with so that you can make an impact on what the community is trying to accomplish. It has been amazing to help remove Honeysuckle and learn all about the importance of native plants. I have even helped a service group in my hometown to clear Honeysuckle. River Stewards has given me the most important lesson that I need to thrive where I live, which is how to have an active role in my community. The more involved in my community I become, the prouder I am to be a student at the University of Dayton. 

Lots of River Love.

Dayton's Rivers by Grace Jackson, 2023 Cohort

My favorite thing about the rivers in Dayton…sorry, but I can’t just pick one. I would say the first thing that comes to mind is that the rivers recharge our aquifer. This is extremely important for our access to freshwater for drinking, cooking, and for life. I have been studying at Chaminade University on O'ahu this semester, and let me tell you, Ohio is blessed to have such great access to freshwater. You see, the development of canals and buildings has destroyed O'ahu’s wetlands, and freshwater springs have been plugged up. Their aquifer recharges a lot less than it used to. There is also the issue of military occupation, causing contamination of the groundwater. 

I just wanted to get you all thinking about what it means to have the rivers we have. Besides the fact they help to provide access to drinking water, my second favorite thing about our rivers is how easy it is to access them. I run the bike path near the Great Miami fairly often. (I used to run it a lot more often when I was on Chaminade Juliennes Women’s cross country team! It was our Thursday loop). I also love meeting friends at Riverscape metropark, especially when there are festivals, like the Hispanic fest or the Celtic fest. Our rivers are so healthy and full of life, with most obtaining “good” or “excellent” ratings according to the EPA. After kayaking down a few of our rivers and streams, I can confirm that I have seen a lot of fish, turtles, and healthy oxygenation. Of course, we can always improve,  but all in all, I would say that we should be proud of our rivers, and continue to protect them.

A picture of my lab rinsing off after working in a local fish pond. There used to be many freshwater springs out in the nearshore, and there are old pictures of this place depicting horses drinking from what looks like the sea (really, the horses just found the springs!) I will create a blog post on my personal website near the end of the semester all about my experiences on the island. Keep tuned in!

Lessons Learned by Elizabeth Vear, 2023 Cohort

I can easily say that the most important thing I have learned is from those around me. Before I even attended UD, I heard of Rivers Institute on a tour and was immediately eager to get involved with it once I committed. I interviewed, and got accepted in the program in early 2020, but as we all know, Covid disrupted this. My cohort got welcomed into River Stewards during quarantine in April of 2020. I was so excited to work with my cohort for the next three years but had no clue of what that would entail when a pandemic was dominating our lives. Our first semester and second semester of sophomore year was solely on zoom. At the time, I struggled to find my sense of belonging in this cohort, as most of us struggled to feel any depth in relationships built over zoom. At the end of my sophomore year, I felt defeated in the sense I had not been able to see any of these people in person, but hopeful for the next year. Finally, as we rolled into junior year, we had finally reached a stage where we were able to meet in person, and it was like starting all over again. Here we were, going into our second year of being a cohort, and yet it felt like our orientation was our first time truly meeting.

This year and semester have been a foundational moment of strengthening relationships within the cohort. It is impossible to ignore how Covid impacted our beginning, but I believe we as a cohort grew closer from it and learned so much from each other. I look around and know that I have formed a relationship with each person in my cohort. Which may not seem like a momentous feat, but knowing the journey we have been on, it truly is. Shifting from zoom strangers to a strong cohort was a dramatic shift, but it was necessary for the work that we do. Continuously learning about the Stews around me continues to amaze me, as we are each so unique and bring such different perspectives to the table. As I continue to learn about the people in this program, I am that much more confident in our abilities and dedication to our projects. One of the most beneficial ways to learn is from those around you, and I have learned so much from the people in Rivers Institute. Rivers Institute is not what it is without the strength of relationships within each cohort, and I can happily say each person in it has taught me so much. 

The Truth in Building Community by Sarah Yaroma, 2023 Cohort

 From the moment that I walked onto UD’s campus back in 2019, my tour guide brought

to my attention that for the next four years I would hear one word repeatedly, and that word is

community. Now after living at UD for the past three years, I have been able to explicitly see

the community that has been built and partake in community building through engaging in

parents weekend activities, for example, and seeing how many people come together to

celebrate the gift that we have of being a Flyer. This idea of community has been instilled in us

as Flyers since day one and has been something that I have continued to learn about and

discuss in length for the work that I do as a River Steward.

One of the most memorable meetings that we have had this semester was our

conversation with the Sierra Club, learning about their background as well as their ambitions to

continue building community and promote the restoration of the natural environment. In order

to create a shift in the mentality of millions of people worldwide about the environment and

how it is being cared for, we need to spread the word, and it starts with us. By doing this, the

message will spark passion in like-minded people to where they will come together, forming a

community, for this common cause to find solutions. We see this in the media as different

movements are portrayed, such as Black Lives Matter, that there is power in community; thus,

we have the power as a whole to take charge and redirect the narrative.

There is truth in building community even though it goes against the individualistic

centered culture that our society promotes. It is easy to force ourselves to fit the mold that

society has put into place for us. We need to remember to go back to the basics of simply

listening to ourselves and remember the reason why we all do not act, think, nor look the same

as our neighbor. We were all created to be different and bring different levels of diversity and

ideas into the world and into various situations. Therefore, if there is one thing that we can do

for ourselves and for the world it would be to show up authentically. I believe that concept of

authenticity has to be the most important lesson that I have learned this semester, due to the

fact that is it something most people are not reminded of and tend to forget. Also because of its

applicability to the rest of our lives as the communities we insert ourselves into change.

Regardless of where we end up in the future, we are forever River Stewards, thus we cannot

forget to be authentic, lifelong learners, builders of community, and a pursuer of interests,

which is what this program has taught me these past three years.

Leadership in River Stewards by Lyuba Benin, 2023 Cohort

The leadership aspect of River Stewards has become more apparent to me this semester as my cohort and I have been planning our senior project with the Dakota Center. Brainstorming and organizing the project have put things in perspective and validated that mine and my cohort’s time in River Stewards will foster a meaningful relationship with the community of Dayton. How do we work with real community leaders? How can we honestly address the needs of the Dayton community? Ultimately, after some reflection, my working definition of leadership is being able to share your gifts and talents for the good of others, and River Stewards provides the mindset and resources for us to be leaders. I am excited to continue collaborating and working on the project with my cohort and catalyze real change in Dayton. 

A couple of months ago, I also joined the Sustainability Leadership Council, which brings together a variety of clubs on campus advocating for sustainability, such as the Hanley Sustainability Institute, Flyer Enterprises, River Stewards, etc. Although some stews and I physically represent River Stewards in the council, this position has felt like a leadership position to me especially from the behind-the-scenes work. For example, we recently were trying to gain a faculty advisor for the council, and the emails and meetings that were made to achieve that, cultivated a real sense of the effort it takes to be a leader. 

Ultimately, I think what is powerful about River Stewards is that any stew can find their niche related to the river and be an effective leader in a unique way. River Stewards also teaches an important lesson that there is no one way to be a leader, and that the real results of leadership arise from us learning and being inspired from one another, as we do in our cohorts.

How do you see yourself as a leader in the River Stewards program? by Natalie Yersavich, 2023 Cohort

 Leadership and service have always been a big part of my life and even since I was a kid, I have tried to seek out as many opportunities to lead and serve as I can. When I first started at UD, these two ideals were the driving forces that inspired me to get involved on campus and in various groups. I found some opportunities to lead and serve in campus ministry and in my faith, but I wanted more. I wanted to reach a larger population, not just those in my residence hall or those who shared my faith. 

When I first applied for River Stewards, I was drawn to the focus of the group: leadership through service and community engagement. The program is centered around building and developing leadership through serving the Dayton community. I could not have asked for a better opportunity to grow and learn about these skills that I value so highly. 

Now, after being in the program for two years, I have learned more than I thought I ever could about leadership and service. From a young age, I have always understood that leadership comes from service and that a good leader is one who serves, but after going through this program, I understand this to be true on a deeper level. River Stewards has taught me that in order to lead, you have to first listen and serve the people that you are leading. How can you lead people in the right direction if you do not know the obstacles and challenges that they are facing? If you do not take the time to listen and understand the problems, you cannot come up with successful solutions. Leadership ultimately is not about the individual. It is about collaboration in order to achieve a common goal and lift up the group as a whole.

Service Opportunity Reflection by Alison Hardie, 2024 Cohort

    A service opportunity that really stuck with me was collecting prairie seeds with Five Rivers Metroparks. In the fall my mom, sister, and I signed up to collect prairie seeds at Huffman Prairie. Huffman Prairie is a historic landmark where the Wright Brothers flew their planes but also a remnant prairie that serves as a home for many different species. My family and I had been to Huffman Prairie on multiple occasions because it is one of our favorite birding spots. Unfortunately, prairies are becoming increasingly rarer so Huffman attracts many types of breeding songbirds. One of our favorites is the bobolink, a striking black and white bird with a metallic song. We also make sure to visit every summer while the wildflowers are in full bloom. 

    We had gone seed collecting in the past a few years back at another park so we were excited to see that this time it was at Huffman. When we arrived at the park we were greeted by the leader of the activity who gave us a seed bag to tie around our waist, gardening gloves, and a pair of shears. As we walked down the path to the collection spot the leader pointed out and gave some information on all of the different plants in the prairie. Once we arrived at a spot he assigned each person to collect seeds from a different type of flower. I was assigned to the purple coneflower, which happens to be one of my favorites. Then we had to march into the tall brush to find the flowers that were ready. It takes a moment of braveness at first to step into the tall grass, not being able to see what’s under your feet. But you forget about that after the first step. For the coneflowers I was looking for heads that were dried but had not been completely eaten by the birds, they are a favorite snack of the goldfinches. We collected seeds for a few hours before the hot sun started to get to everyone and it was time to head back. On the way back some of the other volunteers spotted a green snake which I unfortunately did not catch a glimpse of. 

    They informed us that the seeds would be sent back to one of the other metroparks where other volunteers would remove the seeds from the flower heads and then they would be planted across the Metroparks in different prairies. This experience really stood out to be as it showed how much work has to be done in many conservation projects. It was especially cool to involved in helping one of my favorite places and getting to know the prairie that much better. I had always known they planted the prairies but I had never thought about how they got the seeds. There are also so many parts to this process that are all done by volunteers so it helped me to see how invested the community is as well and some of the direct impact of my hours.

Describe a service opportunity that stuck with you… by Allison George, 2024 Cohort

As a second year civil and environmental engineering major, I see so much value and importance in introducing young girls to STEM programs. I have spent a few Saturday mornings working with one of my other organizations, the Society of Women Engineers or SWE to bring STEM knowledge and innovation skills to local Girl Scout troops. The programs have varied in content but one thing has remained constant, the girls are absolutely captivated by STEM and you can see the gears turning as they think about what science and engineering really are. 

The programs have been structured age appropriately, as the girls are usually in elementary school, and there have been different difficulties to truly challenge the girls at different school years. Some of my favorite station topics have been building aluminum foil boats for pennies, teaching the basic logic needed for coding, learning about what each kind of engineer actually does, and learning how to build a simple structure.

This opportunity in particular has really stuck with me because on top of getting to see them start brainstorming and working together to problem solve, they begin to see the program leaders– who are all women in STEM– as role models and open up with their questions about why we went into engineering or what we want to do after college. Having young girls leave a program saying to their friends how they thought engineering was so cool or that they think one type of engineering was what they wanted to do when they grow up is so meaningful to me because as a young girl I didn’t even know what engineering was. Giving young girls even just the basic information about engineering is an incredible step in the right direction, and I hope to support more events introducing girls to engineering in the future in hopes that eventually there will be just as many women in engineering as men!

What is Your Favorite Thing About Water? By Elisabeth Arnold, 2024 Cohort

     Water is powerful. Without it, the landscapes we see today would not exist. For billions of years the same water on earth there is now has been forming the world we know. Whether it be a massive glacier or a small stream cutting through a valley, water has the power to leave a lasting impression wherever it passes through. From the largest mountains, to intricate valleys, vast canyons, and quiet streams, water is the main source of much of the natural beauty seen on the planet

    Water can also be destructive. Too much in one place at one time may lead to devastating floods. Too little may lead to just as devastating droughts. Floods are the most common and devastating natural disasters in the U.S. and around the world. They lead to billions of dollars in damages each year along with loss of life. Droughts lead to shortages of clean water, increased fire risk, and collapse of ecosystems. Even a small amount of water in a cracked sidewalk can lead to a major change over time. Life relies on water, and is yet sometimes restrained by it. 

    Water also has the power to bring people together. Of course we all need water to survive, but it also is involved in many people’s fondest memories. This is because water is the focal point of a variety of recreational activities. Kayaking, fishing, swimming, boating, and surfing are just a few examples. Even popular tourist destinations usually involve a beach, body of water, or impressive landform created by water. Everyone uses water everyday, probably without thinking twice about it. Many cultures and religions even see water as significant and use it as a leading role in rituals and practices.

    My favorite thing about water is the power it holds. It is essential for life and can be destructive at the same time. This is why water deserves to be protected and appreciated. Water is in so many aspects of our lives that we undoubtedly rely on it. While we rely on water, water also relies on us to not misuse it and ensure future generations will be able to enjoy the same activities and form their own memories around water. 

Water in my Life by Kerry Howard, 2023 Cohort

    Other than the obvious reason of needing it to live, water has made an influential impact on my

life and the way I view the Earth. One of my favorite memories regarding water was when I went

to camp in 2014 and 2015, where myself, along with 30 other campers stayed at a campground

called, Deer Valley in Pennsylvania. Our main hang-out spot was on a small peninsula, where we

would have fires, late night talks, sit out during the day, and so much more. Although, my

favorite thing about being surrounded by the water was taking baths in the lake. I felt connected

with the water because I had never cleaned myself in lake water before and it was such a

meaningful experience due to how genuine the world felt in those moments. During my time

there, the water connected everyone, and helped people bond over a similar interest.

    Moreover, the different forms that water can shape into is so interesting to me. It can transfer

into a gas, solid, and liquid, but does so for the well-being of the Earth. The Earth has water to

thank for its beauty – not only the beauty of lakes, streams, rivers, and oceans, but also the

mountains, canyons, and erosion in everyday life. After traveling to various national parks in the

U.S., I have learned to appreciate how water has shaped almost everything we do and see. From

the Grand Canyon to the Yosemite, to my hometown, Pittsburgh where the Point is located, there

is almost always serenity in these places. Hearing waterfalls, smelling sea salt, seeing wildlife in

crystal clear water are just a few things that I think helps everyone relax. We are all more similar

than we think in the sense of enjoying water, and just as I found at camp, brings people together.

Water will always be a meaningful way to get closer to the Earth, closer with people, and closer

to your true self.

What I see for my future in the program by Drew Kimes, 2024 Cohort

    Hey everyone, I am Drew Kimes and the only male member of the 2024 River Stewards cohort! I take pride in that and we all consider myself “a part of the girls.” I truly have become so close with these girls and If it was not for this program I would not have met my best friend, Cassie Rafter. So I thank this program and cannot wait to create more bonds, friendships and memories with this group. 

    Anyways the theme for this week's blog post is the future. The future is a very daunting thing to think about because it is something we do not know for certain. However, we all have certain hopes and aspirations for the future and for me and this program I see growth. Speaking from my own observation and experience, my cohort is the smallest this program has had in years, with only 10 members. So we are bound to grow. And sure enough we are already seeing growth with over 30 applications for the 2025 cohort. This is amazing news as I mean we have the opportunity to grow and continue to do great things in our community and the communities around us. I cannot wait to welcome the new River Stewards into the family! 

    Though I see physical growth in the future, I also see growth in the sustainable projects we will do for the community for years and years to come. By sustainable, I mean they will be continued and executed by future cohorts and by the community members themselves. That way our impacts are lasting and not simply putting a Band-Aid on a situation. Creating sustainable projects and impacts is something our program strives for and I am excited to continue to see this growth in the coming years! 

River Love! 

My Future in River Stewards by Cassie Rafter, 2024 Cohort

    I see a plethora of growth and learning opportunities for myself in the future of the program. My cohort and I have spent a lot of this semester and last becoming familiar with the Dayton community and learning about the Rivers surrounding us. I’m excited to start building more personal relationships with Dayton's community leaders, some of who we’ve already had the pleasure to work with. In the future, I see myself and fellow River Stewards serving the community by working towards fulfilling its needs. 

    Not only will we serve our community through our capstone project but we’ll serve the community through education. Educational outreach is so important when it comes to our rivers and the sustainability of future life. Some recent educational outreach work my cohort and I have done is creating an informational video and worksheets for Dayton's Children's Water Festival later this month. In my future time as a River Steward, I’d love to be able to connect with the youth in Dayton. Like many other things during the pandemic, it has been difficult to organize in-person events. Although restrictions are being to be lifted it gives me hope that we will soon be able to work with after-school programs and continue to spread our knowledge and love for our watershed to the younger generations living in Dayton. 

    Another thing that I’d like to accomplish in my future within the River Stewards program is to increase the student body's knowledge and awareness of our Rivers and how unique/important they are. In the near future, a fellow stew and I are trying to organize a river clean-up with the guidance of the river stewards 2022 cohort. I think trying to involve the student body in large hands-on types of volunteer work surrounding the rivers could be a catalyst for the River Stewards program. Although the most meaningful service the River Stewards do tends to be in our smaller groups where relationships can be created and mutually beneficial, I think we should utilize the reach we do have to potentially spread the river love all over campus!

What is river stewardship? by Tessa O'Halloran, 2024 Cohort

     I am not sure if I have ever thought of an exact definition of river stewardship before. I have

heard this term used before obviously, but to put it in my own words seems to have stumped

me. As I turned to Google however, I found that the Oxford dictionary defines stewardship as,

“the job of supervising or taking care of something, such as an organization or property”. River

stewardship is the direct action of taking care and supervising the river. Now who is a river

steward and portrays river stewardship at its best?

    Someone who I believe represents a perfect example of a river steward would be Phil or Katie,

two individuals who work for the city of Dayton’s water department. Two individuals who gave

the 2024 cohort an awesome tour of the wastewater treatment plant on 2/18/2022. Phil has

been working at the wastewater treatment plant for over forty years. For over forty years Phil

has been making sure that water used by the general population for showers, restroom

activities, and drinking is cleaned and properly put back into the river.They directly look over and

care for the river. They do this through innovation. Innovation is a key part to river stewardship.

Without hard work and innovative inventions (like the systems used in the drinking water and

wastewater plant), our rivers would not be able to sustain themselves.

    Honestly, I do not believe I am at the point where I can use myself as a good example of a river

steward. I still accumulate too much waste. I at times participate in buying from corporations

who do not follow river steward protocol. I recognize these actions as obstacles in my path to

becoming the best river steward. I would define river stewardship as a process and/or a journey.

I believe river stewardship relies heavily on innovation. We can try to understand the

psychology and habits of people and ourselves (post as many hashtags as we want), but

nothing will change without innovation. Innovation allows us to find connections and solve

problems. It has been awesome to learn about river stewardship and ways to reflect on my

actions that affect the river.

On River Stewardship by Gillian Leone, 2024 Cohort

When posed the question of what is river stewardship, there are many words that initially come to mind. These include service, leadership, wellness, effort, community, bonds, water, protection and many others. But, there is one word that in particular stands out to me; understanding.

I believe that a large component of river stewardship is taking the gracious time out of your own day in order to understand. Taking time to understand facilitates an environment in order to make deeper connections that those who briefly walked by wouldn’t notice at first. 

I’ve had the amazing opportunity to work with so many different organizations in the past year. Being able to serve under organizations that all share the same source that provides life to us; the river, is such a beautiful and unique experience. 

Understanding the river and its complexity is something that not only takes time, but a large desire to want to be a part of something bigger. After being a river steward for shy of a  year, I’ve had a plethora of experiences that I would consider to be “full-circle” experiences. Being a river steward means being able to take in these “full-circle” experiences, understanding them, and applying them to other areas of your life so that others can benefit from them.

Being a river steward means understanding that our relationships in life are very complicated, but they are what hold us together at the end of the day. Recognizing the importance of these relationships and their connection to the river is a large aspect of river stewardship.

I had the opportunity to work for the Mission of Mary this past year. The Mission of Mary Cooperative works with sustainable urban development that is rooted in community. Mission of Mary manages a network of 6 urban farming plots and they grow over 100 different kinds of vegetables and fruits. After working under this organization, there was one main thought that came to mind; what is the one thing that allows this organization to thrive? Yes, a group of hard workers. Yes, money and land. But, most importantly, the backbone of being able to grow and provide for many community members is, you guessed it, water!

When you are a river steward, everything flows back to the thing that gives us life; water. Having a larger understanding

of the role water plays in our life (it provides us life, gives us recreation, gives us a place to meetetc) is the root of what being a river steward is. 

Describing the Significance of Water in My Life by Katie Horgan, 2024 Cohort

Water has always been significant in my life. At the age of six I began competitively swimming, something I continued through the end of high school. Though the pools I swam in were strictly manmade, I still felt a connection to any body of water I came across. After graduation, I continued my streak of always being near water by getting a job as a traveling lifeguard for some pools and lakes in my area. The job had its’ challenges, but there was one particular aspect that kept me coming back for two more summers. I loved seeing how people interacted with each other. As a lifeguard, I was basically paid to people watch, but in a pool environment people seem to act somewhat differently. I have seen grow adults squeal with joy at their friend jumping off the diving board. I have experienced a baby saying some of their first words poolside and watched as the parents smiled ecstatically. Water provided them a space to congregate and make memories. I myself have had these same experiences. I have spent my summers swimming in quarries, lakes, and beaches. Water has provided me with so many happy moments shared with friends and family. 

I think the thing that fascinates me most about water is that it sustains life. It was in high school when I first became interested in sustainability, and of course I thought about how water factors in. Water ecosystems have an interconnectedness that still intrigues me. In college I began to learn about energy pyramids. An energy pyramid is meant to represent that every ecosystem has a flow of energy. When this flow is interrupted somehow, the entire pyramid suffers. Pollution, climate change, and a lack of respect for our environment are the main reasons why this flow would be interrupted. This knowledge furthered the passion I already had for protecting our environment. I started to think about how pollutants could harm creatures both on land and in water, and how this could lead to me not being able to make more memories in the beautiful outdoor spaces I was used to frequenting. For this reason and many others, I decided to join the River Stewards program at UD. I know the program has expanded my knowledge of water an immense amount. This knowledge will continue to grow for my remaining two years. 

I excitedly look forward to the rest of my time as a River Steward at UD and beyond.

Leadership Outside of River Stewards by Isabel Bartram, 2023 Cohort

  A key feature of the River Stewards program is a group of people who are all learning to be leaders, and these skills often come out in other areas of life. While I am a River Steward, I am also the VP of the Fantasy and Science Fiction Appreciation Club, a Resident Assistance, and the Director of Arts and Cosplay, or DAC for short for the Anime Club. Each leadership opportunity allows me to express different sets of skills and today I want to talk about how the DAC position lets me be a leader in creativity. 

UD’s Anime Club at Ohayocon 2022, I am kneeling on the right with the blond wig

UD’s Anime Club is so full of life and is truly a club of friends. We all help each other grow, learn about new things together, and we’re there to pick people up when they are feeling down. As the DAC, it’s my job to help people with their artistic or cosplay goals. In case you don’t know, cosplay refers to either making or buying a costume of a character from a show, comic, or video game and it is a great deal of fun! I have been cosplaying for seven years, so it’s been an honor to help pass my love of cosplay to the anime club members. I help people learn to sew, give advice about how to make a prop, or generally encourage people to try something new in a safe environment. 

One of my favorite originals; the harvest fairy, which combines my love of nature with costume design

I relate this experience to River Stewards in that similarly to how the Stews try to get people more engaged in environmental issues and show care for the community, I am there for the Anime Club and help them to feel more comfortable with themselves and be more active in things they care about. Just as the Stews are passionate about helping people grow more comfortable with the environment, I help people as the DAC to feel more comfortable liking what they like and loving themselves at the same time. A big issue within the cosplay community is body issues; and I try to help cosplayers feel confident with their unique body type when cosplaying. I have spent tons of time in my life working with people on accepting their body and feeling “good enough” to cosplay characters that are conventionally beautiful or have the “perfect body.” The truth is that we are all beautiful just the way we are and being the DAC helps me to reach people with that message and help my friends enjoy their favorite characters through cosplay while also learning just how beautiful each and every one of them are!