T4T Launches a New Internship Program on National Wildlife Refuges

The National Wildlife Refuge System is a network of habitats that benefits wildlife, provides unparalleled outdoor experiences for all Americans, and protects a healthy environment. Today, there are more than 560 national wildlife refuges and 38 wetland management districts, including one within an hour's drive of most major metropolitan areas. The National Wildlife Refuge Association (Refuge Association) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to wildlife conservation through programs that support and strengthen the National Wildlife Refuge System.

Building diverse and active constituencies that can mobilize support for wildlife conservation is a fundamental function of the National Wildlife Refuge Association. The National Tigers for Tigers Coalition (T4T) is the founding program of the Refuge Association’s Spirit Campaign, an effort to mobilize college students at tiger mascot colleges to support international conservation efforts of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Whether it involves environmental education, outreach campaigns, managing a team, or conducting meaningful conservation work, wildlife refuges offer valuable internship opportunities for our dedicated and passionate students. An internship on a national wildlife refuge can be an entryway to a great career in conservation.

In the summer of 2015, Tigers for Tigers, the Refuge Association and the USFWS partnered to provide two college students a three-month summer internship at a wildlife refuge.

“We received a quality, hard-working intern that was eager to learn and anxious to contribute. The student's field of study would be considered non-traditional but his passion for conservation was clearly evident. Exposure to the USFWS, land management, community interactions and conservation education greatly enhanced his overall conservation perspective,” said Michael Johnson, Refuge Manager at Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge.

We are excited to announce that the Tigers for Tigers program is expanding its internship program for the summer of 2016. Interns will spend 10-12 weeks on a national wildlife refuge and will be a part of the full range of tasks involved in managing a refuge and learning more about the great work of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Interns will be exposed to a variety of experiences including wildlife biology, environmental education and interpretation, conservation management, outreach and other refuge operations and maintenance. Interns will be active participants in implementing meaningful conservation projects on the ground. Sierra Hoisington, from Clemson University reflects on her experience from 2015.

“I have learned that people within the wildlife and conservation field have a passion and an aura about them that is unmatched by individuals in other fields,” said Sierra, a 2015 Tigers for Tigers summer intern.

For more information about our 2016 summer internship program, click here. Applications for the 2016 summer internship are due on March 15th, 2016. We look forward to hearing from you.

All the best,

Sean Carnell

Spirit Campaign Manager

National Wildlife Refuge Association

Scarnell-t4t@refugeassociation.org

607.280.4331