Summer Internship: Reflection

My internship at the National Marine Life Center has gone by in a blink of the eye. As I sit in my college dorm, I would like to reflect on all the amazing things my fellow interns and I got to experience this summer.

As a new member of the team in early May, I was introduced to a lovely staff and a welcoming atmosphere here at the center. I helped out with the 5k as well as working several fairs and festivals within my first weeks. After a few days of training, the animal care portion of the internship became apparent.  All of the interns began learning how to care for the turtles. I remember cleaning my first tank by myself; it was quite a challenge at that point. Who would have known that by the end of the summer I would be managing to clean tanks in half the time. Next, I began to learn to care for the turtles in a more medical manner. After completing several rounds with Dr. Williams, the interns and I learned to give calcium treatments and force feed a few of the turtles. New skills acquired! Soon after, the education programs began. The interns and I learned how to successfully prepare education sessions for a wide array of ages. Between Little Flippers Club and Marine Medical Animal Mystery, we learned so much. Now if this doesn’t all sound invigorating, let’s add the field trips. Over this summer, the interns went on several field trips, including: whale watching, visiting the Cape Wildlife Center, participating in a seal necropsy, visiting WHOI and the aquarium, etc. All of these trips added to our experience at the National Marine Life Center and enhanced our understanding of the marine field.

As the summer comes to a close, and the interns move on to the next part of their lives, I would like to thank the National Marine Life Center, the wonderful Kate, Kathy, Rachel and Adele, as well as the many volunteers who helped make this summer a great experience. I loved every minute at the National Marine Life Center, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for it.