Clint Steiner

When Arizona native Clint Steiner was selecting a degree program, he had two goals in mind. His aim was to eventually work in an industry that made a positive impact on the community and the planet and to be a Sun Devil.

“Ever since I was young enough to read I always wanted to attend ASU,” he says. “With the support of my family and loving wife I can finally say I’m an ASU graduate.”

Before joining ASU, Steiner served as a fire control technician for the United States Navy. He was stationed on the SSN-717 Olympia submarine where he developed the calculations necessary to launch torpedoes at all targets identified by sonar.

“During my time in the Navy, I learned about teamwork and camaraderie in some of the most stressful situations,” he says.

Following his service, Steiner chose to major in environmental and resource management and minor in sustainability in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering. Now he is graduating with summa cum laude honors, has earned dean’s list recognition and was a member of the environmental and resource management club — all achievements within a field that wasn’t initially on Steiner’s radar. 

“I wasn’t aware that the environmental and resource management degree was available at first,” Steiner says. “But once I started my courses, I realized the broadness of the degree. Every class taught me something new about a different environmental field.”

He knew he was on the right career path during his environmental management leadership course.

“We had the opportunity to listen to many guest speakers who were all leaders in different environmental fields,” Steiner says. “That’s when I became aware of the impact of my degree and the variety of prospective careers available to me.”

In his junior year, Steiner got first-hand experience in applying his skills during a project with the Sustainable Cities Glendale Recycling Program enhancement plan. 

“My class worked with the City of Glendale to encourage community involvement on recycling initiatives,” he says. “I researched China’s ban on recyclables and we came up with a community recycling plan which was very rewarding.”

Steiner is blending his aptitude in problem-solving with his enthusiasm toward benefiting the community and looking for a career at a wastewater treatment facility.

“My degree will allow me to help communities better manage their water, energy and waste by enforcing laws and regulations to come up with new and more effective ways to process water,” Steiner says.

Read about other exceptional graduates of the Fulton Schools’ fall 2020 class here.