Erica Colbert was born and raised in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Living in Wyoming and witnessing firsthand the need for and benefits of protecting the quality of water, a resource often taken for granted, led Erica to pursue a degree that would provide her with the education needed to be able to contribute to the protection of water quality in her home state.

Erica is pursuing a Master of Public Health degree in Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health. Erica has completed 24 credit hours of course work since matriculation in the fall of 2010. In the fall of 2011, she will serve as a teaching assistant in the Department of Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health.

Erica most enjoys the diversity of the student body in the UNMC College of Public Health. She views the program as nontraditional, with students from diverse backgrounds and practical experiences. She believes numerous experiences, both professional and personal, various points of view, and different opinions have helped to establish an open-minded and stimulating academic environment.

Upon graduation, Erica plans to return to Wyoming to pursue a career in the field of environmental quality, focusing on water quality. She looks forward to designing and implementing new environmental assessment procedures that will safeguard water quality and to developing programs that will preserve the integrity of water while protecting the citizens of Wyoming from health hazards associated with poor water quality.