Hello everyone! My name is Nakayda Jacobs, and I am a senior at Oregon State University studying natural resources with a focus in agricultural and natural resources communications. This summer, I have the great pleasure of being part of the Groundwater Protection and Education team with OSU Extension in the mid and southern Willamette Valley.
One thing to know about me is that I enjoy a little bit of everything and love working at the intersection of different disciplines. One of my favorite parts of this internship has been seeing how natural science and human health come together. I also enjoy working alongside a team of peers with diverse academic backgrounds, each bringing a unique perspective and expertise to the program. Every day has allowed me to learn something new, whether it’s about groundwater, public health or what community outreach really looks like.
As part of the groundwater team, I get to apply what I’ve learned in soil science and water resources to real-world issues involving private well water and septic systems. It’s been exciting to see how the concepts I’ve learned in the classroom directly translate into helping communities make informed decisions about their drinking water. Working for OSU Extension has been especially rewarding because it allows me to put my education into practice while continuing to learn through hands-on experience and community engagement.
One unexpected challenge has been learning how to communicate the bitter with the sweet. As someone passionate about science communication, it can be challenging when the information I share has the potential to affect someone’s daily life or livelihood. While I love spending time at community events and farmers’ markets talking with people about topics I’m passionate about, an important part of this work is helping people understand potential risks to their health and water quality. Those conversations require empathy, patience and the ability to explain technical information in a way that is both accurate and approachable.
Throughout this summer, I hope to continue developing my communication skills and become more confident in having meaningful conversations with a wide variety of audiences. I’m excited to keep learning from my team, strengthen my outreach experience and continue growing as both a natural resource professional and science communicator.