Dear St. Marks Refuge Association,

Thank you for accepting and supporting me as a Spring 2018 Biological Intern. I am eager to explore this wonderful opportunity!

A little bit about myself:

I grew up on the shores of northern Minnesota’s lakes; wading through cattails and peering under logs. I was all about frogs and toads.

My interest in amphibians led me to volunteer as an interpreter at Como Zoo and Conservatory and to eventually pursue my Bachelors of Science in Zoology at Oregon State University (OSU).

My first year in college was challenging. I struggled financially and lost hope that I could achieve my goals.

I managed to stay in school and by the end of my sophomore year I was working within OSU’s Fisheries and Wildlife Department. I was just a student worker in the office but through this position, I learned about the field of fisheries and wildlife and gained an entire family of mentors and friends.

Later in my college career, I lead the College of Science Student Advisory Committee (COSSAC) and initiated the Integrative Biology Peer Mentor Program. I was brought on to COSSAC by a friend to design the groups logo and promotional flyers but was soon asked to step up and lead the group as Facilitator. An initiative of the group was to establish a peer mentor program within each Department of the College of Science. My own Department, Integrative Biology, did not have a peer mentor program. So, I brought together a team and we created one!

After graduating I traveled and volunteered before beginning work on the Oregon Slender Project; a collaborative research project between Weyerhaeuser Inc. and Dr. Tiffany Garcia, aiming to determine if and how Weyerhaeuser’s logging activities were impacting Oregon Slender Salamander (OSS) populations. In this position, I surveyed Weyerhaeuser’s timber property, in the Cascade Mountains, for OSS’s. My coworkers and I later presented our work on the OSS project at the San Diego Zoo.

That same year a coworker from the OSS project and I traveled to Fort Lauderdale, FL for the Ecological Society of America’s 2016 annual meeting! We had an amazing time.

This past year I worked for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Scientific and Natural Areas Program (SNAP) as a Conservation Corps Individual Placement. This position was office based, as I created content for the SNAP’s Facebook page. While I did not enjoy working indoors, this position connected me to several field courses, certifications, and volunteer opportunities.

I am so thrilled to be back outside at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, and to have the opportunity to be a part of the Frosted Flatwood Salamander project! 

Thank you,
-Shelby