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GRDA’s summertime team

Jun 23, 2022

An important part of the team … Genesis Roybal-Smith, a GRDA summer intern, works at her desk in the GRDA Safety Department. She is one of many seasonal employees lending a helping hand to Team GRDA this summer.

Power for Progress… a weekly column from the Grand River Dam Authority.

Every summer they arrive at Grand River Dam Authority facilities, from several different backgrounds and several different hometowns. Some are familiar faces, some are brand new, but all become part of Team GRDA, at least for a few months. They mow the grass, they paint the walls, they scan the documents, they patrol the waters, and they lend a hand in many other ways.

Of course, we are talking about the Grand River Dam Authority’s summer employees. Comprised mostly of students who will be back in the classroom by late August, this special workforce plays a key role at GRDA during a busy time of the year. With multiple facilities, crews, departments and responsibilities spread across a wide area of Oklahoma, GRDA depends on the many contributions of its summertime team members.

Meanwhile, those employees benefit from the arrangement as well. It is obviously a chance to earn a summer paycheck, but it can also be valuable work experience and the chance to get an up-close look at the many careers and tasks within GRDA. For some, it is even a chance for a sneak peek at the very career they may be considering for the future. For others, who are filling summer intern positions, it is the chance to get both college credit and experience.

Finally, the impact of GRDA’s summer employees also stretches into the surrounding communities. Like the permanent members of the Team GRDA workforce, summer employees earn important wages that are circulated throughout the state’s economy, in the communities where they live, work and play.

So, whether the focus is on the job, the dollars or the work experience, Team GRDA’s seasonal employees are an important asset, helping GRDA to further its mission to deliver affordable, reliable electricity, with a focus on efficiency and a commitment to environmental stewardship while remaining dedicated to economic development by providing resources and supporting economic growth.

GRDA is Oklahoma’s largest public power electric utility; fully funded by revenues from electric and water sales instead of taxes. Each day, GRDA strives to be an “Oklahoma agency of excellence” by focusing on the 5 E’s: electricity, economic development, environmental stewardship, employees, and efficiency.