Author: Jillian Daly, NC Coastal Reserve Communications Specialist
As our time with our summer interns at the Rachel Carson Reserve come to an end, we asked them to reflect on this summer’s experiences. Keep reading to hear how their internship experiences shaped them, they've got some great stories to share!
Laney Edwards, Research Intern
Laney grew up in Swansboro, NC and is a rising junior at Appalachian State University. She is majoring in biology, which is why she decided to apply for this internship. She wanted to gain hands-on experience in the field to enhance her understanding of topics she’s learned about in lectures. She also was happy that the internship helped her see the career pathways she might be interested in.
What has been your favorite part of your internship?
“My favorite part of this internship was going over to Middle Marsh. Whether we were doing water quality data collection, bird surveys, or even looking for fun sea life, it was always a blast being on this part of the reserve.”
What skills have you gained from this internship?
“Since being in this internship, I have learned how to drive a boat, how to work with water quality sondes, information on estuaries and the flora and fauna within them, as well as some coastal management strategies.”
Jenna McLamb, Education Intern
Jenna is born and raised in Spivey’s Corner, NC. She grew up on a farm, and her mom was a teacher, so she was used to animals and education, but the marine environment was a completely new experience for her! Growing up, she always knew she wanted to be a teacher, so when she found out about this internship, she decided to apply as an opportunity to gain teaching skills and experience that would be beneficial to her as a future educator. She confirmed that this internship helped lock-in that career path for her: “I have loved working with different age groups of students, the Life Skills class at Carteret Community College, and even teachers. The opportunity to deepen my knowledge of the educational standards and learn things like classroom management and other cool teaching techniques has been the highlight of my summer.”
What does a typical day look like during your internship?
"A typical day starts at the computer alongside the other interns. We always check in and follow up on our emails. We then discuss with our supervisors the plans for the day. On a camp or field trip day, we then head to the classroom to set up. We wait for all participants to arrive, and we gear up with our water shoes, sunscreen, and water bottles. We typically take the groups of students over to the Rachel Carson Reserve to explore the estuary and hike over to Bird Shoal."
What has been your favorite part of this internship?
"My favorite part of the internship has been interacting with different groups of students and being able to turn written curriculum into real-life experiences. Being able to take the students over to the Rachel Carson Reserve and giving them time to explore the salt marsh and estuary has been eye opening. Some students have never been over to the reserve. Seeing the expressions on their faces when they find a hermit crab, whelk, bird, etc., is always a priceless experience."
Sam Townsend, Stewardship & Outreach Intern
Sam is a Carteret County local and attends Carteret Community College. She heard about the internship from a 2023 intern who spoke to Sam’s college’s conservation club about the internship. When it was time to apply, Sam’s biology professor encouraged.
“I decided to apply because the job description sounded very fulfilling to me, and it seemed like a good chance to get my foot in the door of my dream career field, and an amazing opportunity to learn and experience many new things.”
Reflecting on a summer of early morning fieldwork, Sam explained the serenity of sunrises on the sand flats: “It felt like we had the beach all to ourselves, and we got the chance to see cool marine wildlife, like sharks, fish, stingrays, and all sorts of invertebrates.”
What opportunities and skills have you gained from this internship?
"Every day of this internship, I had the chance to learn or try something new (usually both). This summer, I learned 48 species identifications, earned my boating certification and CPR/first aid certification, toured various facilities and labs, and even gained social skills from all the networking!"
What does a typical day look like during your internship?
"Most days we come into the office at 8:00 a.m., caffeinate while talking about the plans for the day, handle some desk work, and go out to do some field work. On other days though, we come in early and hit the dock as soon as we arrive and jump right into field work. Those days are usually the most fun. Sometimes the weather is not ideal for fieldwork, and we had an office day instead. There's never a dull moment, and no matter what we are doing, we are always learning something new!"
Would you recommend this internship to others?
Laney: I would absolutely recommend this internship to other people. This has been an awesome experience. I have learned so much and have had the opportunity to do different things every week. This internship has shown me what it is like to go out into the field and collect data and then come back to the office and process it. This was the hands-on learning I wanted, and it helped me see the career pathways I am interested in.
Jenna: Yes, I would definitely recommend this internship to others. As an education major, I have learned so much this summer about classroom management, differentiating instruction/activities to meet the needs of all students, and instructional techniques that will be very useful in the future. However, it was not just all work. I have also enjoyed other cool opportunities like the STEM Career Fair, bird surveys, squid dissections, a turtle necropsy, getting my Boater Safety license, a behind-the-scenes tour of the aquarium in Pine Knoll Shores, and so much more. I have learned a lot this summer but have also had the best time experiencing new things.
Sam: Absolutely! Whether you are from the area or from somewhere completely different, this internship will give you plenty of chances to learn about and appreciate the beauty of our unique ecosystem.
Advice to future interns:
Laney: My advice for future interns would be to try everything that is offered to you. There are so many opportunities to do new things and also network a bit. I've met some great people this summer and done once in a lifetime thing.
Jenna: My biggest piece of advice is to not be scared to try new things and to always say yes to completing a task even if it does not sound enjoyable. Going into this internship, I assumed it would strictly be helping with summer camps and field trips. However, the countless other opportunities I have been given this summer have made for some of the best experiences. Driving the boat, completing sand dollar and bird surveys, helping the other two interns with different tasks, washing/cleaning the boat, watching a turtle necropsy, visiting the aquaculture lab at CMAST, etc., have been just a few of the opportunities given to me this summer. I have thoroughly enjoyed each experience and cannot wait to tell everyone else about them.
Sam: Don't be afraid to get out of your comfort zone! Take every chance you get to try something new. It might be intimidating at first, but I promise you won't regret the unique experiences that come along with interning with the N.C. Reserve. You'll definitely learn a thing or two!