I started my journey as an intern in the animal exhibits team at WonderLab Museum of Science, Health and Technology, and now work as the animal exhibits manager.

My internship helped me build skills and gain experience in my field of interest. I learned standard husbandry protocols; how to act around animals; and how to educate people. I made connections with people who could help further my career. I was fortunate to land a full-time job with benefits before I even graduated from college.

Internships take hard work and dedication. I did more homework and stayed up later working towards my internship than I did for some classes. But, the hard work helped ensure the decisions I was making for my future career path were right for me. If you have chosen the right internship in the right field, you will find that every day you are inspired.

Internships can help you explore your passion while preparing for your future—every moment is an opportunity to learn and grow. For me, those moments are finding ways to enrich the lives of the animals I work with or designing an entire exhibit based around my ideas. I found a career that I love.