In her own words, Mary Elizabeth explains how Garver's education reimbursement program helped her achieve her degree and how her studies proved to be a great resource during a high-profile project in Oklahoma.
"As a Garver water engineer, I worked closely with the City of Norman, Oklahoma on a project that removed arsenic from groundwater at one of the city's drinking water wells. Because this was the first arsenic-removal technology implemented in Oklahoma, I was well positioned to use my master's research requirements on the project. The city benefited from the additional research, Garver benefited by having an engineer perform an exhaustive study on arsenic removal, and I benefited by having an exciting project to fuel my enthusiasm for a master's research topic.
"Garver provided both financial and logistical support. Almost all classes in the engineering college were held in the middle of the day, which meant I had to leave work, attend class, and then return to work. I missed a minimum of two hours, three times a week or as much as half a day when lab work was required. I still had to work 40 hours a week, but my supervisors gave their approval to make up my hours during the weekends, which was extremely helpful during semesters when I took up to eight hours. Regarding financial support, as long as I passed my courses, I was reimbursed for 25 percent of the previous years’ scholarly expenses. Now that I have graduated, I will continue to claim reimbursement until I am 100 percent reimbursed."
