2019 Annual Report - 12

Finding Her
VOICE
In a time when women are
increasingly choosing careers in
business, medicine, and law, why are
so few women pursuing careers in
STEM? Sasha McComsey wonders the
same thing.
M
cComsey is the lead wastewater operator
at the Manheim Area Water & Sewer
Authority (MAWSA). She was one of only two
female graduates in the 2016 class for Water and
Environmental Technology at Thaddeus Stevens
College of Technology.
" This College was a place where I met intelligent,
independent women who encouraged me in
my studies and my career. " The opportunity to
learn technical and job-ready skills and begin
a responsible job immediately after graduation
attracted McComsey to Thaddeus Stevens College
of Technology.
McComsey, who grew up in New Holland, PA, is
emphatic about the value of a technical education,
especially for women. " I think it is crucial to learn
a trade. If you learn technical skills, you will always
be able to find a job after graduation. And having
benefits like health insurance and a retirement plan
is important to our future as women, " she added.
The foundational skills she learned in the classroom
with WET instructor Katie Surra were essential
training, she said. " Basic electric and the hands-on
tasks like wiring a switch helped me understand
the maintenance aspect of this field. Pumps and
hydrants taught me different phases of pump work.
And the model for water resources taught me how
to understand storm runoff, the effects of combined
sewer system and sources of pollutants to surface
waters. "
12
" As students, we also had the opportunity to use
professional tools like GIS and ArcGIS systems
(geographic information systems mapping
software) to understand the many details in
the water and wastewater industry, " explained
McComsey.
Extensive lab time and real-life experiences like
internships are an integral part of an education at
Thaddeus Stevens College, and contribute to high
industry demand for Stevens College graduates.
" The WET lab is where I gained the hands-on
confidence to work in a wastewater laboratory
setting, " continued McComsey. " I was able to take
and pass my state exams for a class license and
work as a wastewater operator six months before I
graduated. "
She completed an internship with the Lancaster
Water Authority in wastewater and collections
where McComsey experienced not just the technical
aspects of the job, but how important trust and
synergy among team members is to getting the job
done right. " My internship was a very pertinent part
of my education that I apply to my everyday work
life, " says McComsey.
During her final semester, McComsey was offered
a position with MAWSA. " I started at MAWSA
as a lab technician/laborer and over the past
four years have operated and advanced through
several positions including collections, distribution,
heavy equipment, lead water and lead wastewater
2019 Annual Report

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