My name is Carol Gause, and I am one of the summer 2019 interns at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. I am from Mount Airy, North Carolina, near the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I have always loved the outdoors. I grew up spending time at Pilot Mountain State Park and whitewater kayaking in western North Carolina with my dad. My interest in the outdoors and nature led me to become a Girl Scout, where I earned my Gold Award. In high school, I discovered my passion for birds and avian ecology during a natural history field course. This experience sparked my interest in the natural sciences, leading me to pursue a degree in environmental science.

At North Carolina State University, I enrolled in courses where I learned about ornithology and pursued as many opportunities as I could. During this time, I was an undergraduate researcher in the Biodiversity Lab at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. My project focused on the behavioral response of native passerines to management strategies that inhibited the nesting of a non-native species, the house sparrow. Additionally, I spent two years volunteering in the Living Conservatory at the same museum. This exhibit was designed to imitate a tropical dry forest with everything from free-flying Central American butterflies to a two-toed sloth. I was truly fortunate to be able to care for the animals, perform butterfly releases within the exhibit, and create a research project about monarch butterflies and citizen science.

The summer prior to my final year in college, I was an intern for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service within the prairie pothole region of South Dakota. Thanks to the support of the Student Conservation Association, I gained experience conducting waterfowl and shorebird surveys. As a recent college graduate, I am taking a gap year to explore career options. I dream of becoming an avian ecologist someday, and I plan to pursue a master's degree in a related field. Thank you so much for the opportunity to become an intern at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. I am so incredibly lucky and excited to be here learning from the best. I know that the skills I gain here will help me in future field positions as well as graduate school. I am looking forward to all that we do this summer. I know it will be an amazing experience!