What surprises you the most about your work experience?
I was surprised to see how involved zookeepers are in the lives of the animals they care for. It’s beautiful seeing how developed the relationships between them are. The animals even recognize the zookeepers’ voices, granted it could be because they associate it with food, but I’d like to believe it goes beyond that too.
What helped you to prepare for success during the internship and what are you most proud of achieving?
Communication and research were extremely helpful in my preparation, whether it was asking my supervisor questions before beginning the internship or looking into the company’s website for information. I am most proud of how capable I have been of providing proper animal husbandry to a variety of different animals. Summer internships are not very long so I am especially prideful of all that I have learned so far.
How are you developing personally and professionally throughout the internship?
This internship has allowed me to have hands-on experience with animals and develop various professional relationships. It has also provided me with a great deal of confidence and clarity in my future career decisions.
Do you have any advice for future interns?
It’s easy to doubt your abilities and compare yourself to other students, however, you were picked for a reason. Prove to your supervisors and to yourself that they were right in choosing your application out of the many that they received.