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Christina Kruse
Environmental Health & Safety Specialist, The Mosaic Company
Christina Kruse didn’t know anyone at UWF when she enrolled from Plant City, Florida. She left the University with two degrees and a certificate, a husband and fond memories from her time in the Kugelman Honors program, her sorority, intramurals and serving as the SGA student body president.
How did you become interested in environmental science?
I have always enjoyed being outside and I wanted the ability to help people. I always wanted a career in the environmental field because I knew there was a right way to do things. In my current role, I help my company use resources in a smarter, better way, while keeping employees and the environmental safe.
In addition to degrees in environmental science, you earned a graduate certificate in geographic information science. How has that been important to your career?
In the mining industry, GIS mapping is a tool we use daily. Before we clear land, we survey for threatened and endangered species and we use GIS maps to report where they are located. After mining, we use GIS to restore the land, so we look at the topography and use mapping to determine where to locate wetlands and new plantings.
Do you have a favorite memory from UWF?
I enjoyed every aspect of my experience at UWF, from the honors program to playing intramurals as well as being active in Alpha Gamma Delta and SGA. I met my husband, Matt Kruse, ’06, ’07, during my first day on campus, but we didn’t hit it off immediately. We had the honors program and some mutual friends in common, and we eventually started dating. We’ve now been married for six years. As a graduate student, I had internships with Escambia County and the EPA, which provided great exposure to the field.