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Marietta College junior attending UN's Innovation Lab in China

Joe Tucker '21 selected from approximately 8,000 student applicants

by Jennifer Folwell

Marietta, Ohio (11/06/2019) — A native of Michigan, Marietta College's Joe Tucker '21 (Grand Rapids, Michigan) appreciates the significance of the Great Lakes and an abundance of clean water.

That's why after spending four months studying abroad in Argentina last year, he was concerned to learn that a lack of clean water is an issue for Argentinians as it is for many other countries around the world.

That experience led Tucker to apply - and ultimately be selected - to participate in a symposium in China this month where he will work with others (students, business owners and developers) to research and produce a sustainable solution to a global problem.

The UNLEASH Innovation Lab 2019 is a global initiative bringing together young people from around the world to help develop solutions toward the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals. He chose to pursue a project that has clean water and sanitation as the sustainable goal.

Tucker was chosen out of 8,000 students who applied from around the world. He said one of his professors in Argentina told him about the China conference and said it would be possible for Tucker. He arrived in China on November 5th and will be there for 10 days.

"This will be my first time participating in this symposium and traveling to China," Tucker said. "I won't know anyone."

Dr. Eric Fitch is Director of Marietta College's Environmental Science program and one of Tucker's Marietta College professors.

"This is a great honor for Joe and by association Marietta College," Fitch said. "From what I understand the competition was very strong, but Joe's innovative problem solving proved worthy to win the day. Joe's proposal shows great promise to aid in one of the most critical areas in the world today: the provision of safe, potable water."

Tucker described his experience in Argentina as a "reality check." He said because of that experience, he's looking forward to his time in China.

"I know my strengths and weaknesses," he said. "I'm anxious to hear the perspectives of the other countries."

Tucker will be working alongside other students, college professors and entrepreneurs. He's hoping the event will lead to a chance for him to network, too.

"It's all about coming up with sustainable solutions," Tucker said of the symposium. He described a situation where a group was sent in to address an African community's lack of clean water. They were given money and resources and a pump was designed and built for the town to use to extract clean water. The problem? No one was taught how to use it and so the pump simply became a decoration.

"We will be asked to take our idea and our product beyond the 'dream,' " he said. "We will be held accountable to see it through to the end."

Tucker is majoring in International Business and minoring in Political Science. He doesn't have concrete plans after college but says he could see himself signing on to AmeriCorps or the Peace Corps.

One thing he knows for sure is that he will be sharing his experiences abroad with other Marietta students come Spring as part of a Marietta College initiative. The 20-year-old said he encourages other students to take advantage of any chance they may get to study abroad.

"Everyone has different reasons for wanting to go abroad, but you can't put a price on it," he said of the experience. "It's difficult to put into words, but it's been very exciting."

Located in Marietta, Ohio, at the confluence of the Muskingum and Ohio rivers, Marietta College is a four-year liberal arts college. Tracing its roots to the Muskingum Academy back in 1797, the College was officially chartered in 1835. Today Marietta College serves a body of 1,200 full-time students. The College offers more than 50 majors and is consistently ranked as one of the top regional comprehensive colleges by U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review, as well as one of the nation's best by Forbes.com. Marietta was selected seventh in the nation according to the Brookings Institution's rankings of colleges by their highest value added, regardless of major. Marietta College has also been named a Great College to Work For two consecutive years (2018 and 2019).

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