Cal Poly experience:
B.S. Agricultural Systems Management, 1999. Concentration: Irrigation/Water Science

What she does now: Irrigation Engineer, San Benito County Water District

The largest part of Ms. Nitschke's position at SBCWD is managing the water management/conservation programs for both agricultural users and large commercial landscape users. These programs provide tests and results for participants that help them to use water and fertilizer in an efficient manner. Ms. Nitschke writes annual reports to the Bureau of Reclamation, Annual Water Usage reports for growers, and assists with the Annual Crop Report. Other aspects of her work deal with grants and loan applications. She also participates in educational programs for kids such as Ag in the Classroom, as well as classes and workshops for area growers and irrigators.

Why she recommends Cal Poly's BRAE department:
"Being a Poly graduate really has helped a lot in this job as I had a good deal of field experience by the time I graduated. This I have found out is unusual for graduates from other universities. Also, being in agriculture, there is a big network of Cal Poly graduates and they all like to help each other out, which can really help in this tight-knit community! Cal Poly really presents students with the opportunity to do work in a 'real-world' situation, which can easily be translated into 'real-world' jobs."

Contact:
30 Mansfield Road, Hollister, CA 95024
Ph: 831-637-8218
mnitschke@sbcwd.com

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