Hello! My name is Brynn Huzzen, and I am so excited about doing an internship with St. Mark’s National Wildlife Refuge this spring!

I just graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s of science degree in natural resource conservation, focusing on wildlife ecology, and with a minor in sustainability studies. I have really enjoyed my time in school, but now I am ready to get some real-life experience!

In the summer of 2015, I went on a study abroad to Belize (which is where the picture on the left is from). It was the most amazing experience of my life. I have always known that I wanted to work to defend the earth, and the creatures that live on it. When I was in Belize, I saw that the world is so much more than I could have ever imagined!

At St. Marks, I hope to gain lots of experience working with frosted flatwoods salamanders and red-cockaded woodpeckers. I have never done hands-on work with animals outside of classes, and the study abroad, so I am really looking forward to this whole new type of experience. I am not sure which taxa of animals I would like to specialize in when I continue school, but I hope that this internship will help me figure it out. I also am really interested in working with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. I would love to work for this agency in the future, so this is my first step in the door to making that happen.

After this internship is over, I am moving to Texas to do research on bats, and their relationships with wind turbines. I will be doing this research through Texas Christian University, and if all goes well, I will get a master’s degree from TCU through this project. I have lived in Florida my entire life, so moving out of Florida is scary and exciting! After pursuing a master’s degree, I am not sure if I will continue graduate school for a Ph.D., or if I will start my professional career. I am very excited where my career will take me, and I am so grateful to you for funding this internship so that I can be a part of it.

Thank you for everything!

Brynn