Sample cover letter for Internship position at HDR

To Whom It May Concern:

I have been heavily interested in environmental consulting and water resources for the past two years of my undergraduate education, and in lieu of nearing graduation this May 2015, have been researching firms in the Portland area. I must say that when I encountered your firm at HDR I was immediately impressed with the quality and diversity of the work presented, including the Bay Area Clean Water Agency’s Nutrient Optimization Project and the Tacoma Solid Waste Management Recovery and Transfer Center. I was especially excited to see such incorporations of features like water use/reuse, and the investment in finding sustainable methods wherever possible. Motivated by this assessment, I am submitting my resume and letter for the position of Water Intern in your Portland offices. Although the condensed details about my work history, technical skillset, and education are included in my resume, I want to share herein a sample of the projects and accomplishments that I’ve worked on that would make me a high caliber, contributing member this summer at HDR.

Early in my formative years I knew I was destined for a career in environmental planning. My father was an organic farmer and my mother was an architect, consequently I’ve had one foot in the natural world and one in the city. Throughout high school I was actively involved in science competitions and sustainability: I led students on an after-school oceanography team to statewide competitions, worked with students and faculty to develop a more comprehensive recycling program, and advocated for conservation and restoration efforts in my community in. I enrolled in a private liberal arts institution, with the intent to study the broader implications of the interface that human structures have with the environment, and how different interest groups come together to create lasting policy resolutions. In my college years I have continued my efforts in sustainability by organizing student organizations that built gardens, established a bike co-op, built a green roof bike shelter, and brought recycling and composting to student dormitories. This past year, a fellow student and I crafted and won a grant proposal for summer research analyzing the impacts of nitrogenous pollution on forest health in. I have also completed coursework, independent studies, and a teaching assistantship in geographic information systems (GIS), integrating the utility of GIS software in a vast array of projects, including several publications in the college newspaper, a comprehensive water quality report, and campus-wide transportation assessment. As I write this, I am prepping for my GISCI general certification in April.

This May I will graduate I have been hard at work establishing my personal reputation as a mature critical problem solver and effective communicator driven by a strong set of ethical principles founded in social and environmental awareness. When confronted with the difficult and unfamiliar, I am both parts a flexible and grounded learner. I believe that this would make me a valuable associate at HDR. Thank you for your time reading and considering my application. If you have any further questions or would like to set up a future interview, do not hesitate to contact me.

Cordially,