Students Come From All Over the Country to Intern at MacArthur Beach State Park
NORTH PALM BEACH, FL- July 19, 2017
Students from all over the country come to MacArthur Beach State Park for internship opportunities. This summer, our interns originate from Florida, Illinois, Michigan, and North Carolina. They are pursuing degrees at the University of Florida, Eckerd College, Florida International University, Palm Beach Atlantic University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. During their time at MacArthur Beach, the interns study in the fields of Environmental Education, Parks and Recreation, and Communications under the supervision of Park employees.
In addition to their daily jobs of instructing Science Camp activities and contributing to the social media pages, the interns are provided the opportunity to be trained for other Park programs including Citizen Science Program, Sea Turtle Talk and Walks, sea turtle nesting surveys, and animal care. These rare opportunities give interns an inside look at the many programs the Park offers and provides new skillsets useful for their education and future employment.
“We’ve been fortunate to have amazing interns in the past and present.” says Cheryl Houghtelin, Executive Director of the Friends of MacArthur Beach State Park. “Many of our past interns have gone on to pursue incredible careers and internships in the field and higher degrees. We are thrilled to do our part in shaping our next marine biologist, educator, or Park Ranger!”
The internship program has helped many students pursue careers in related fields, or continue to pursue higher degrees. Our first Resident Intern, Vanessa Dornisch, interned from November 2012 – May 2013. She is now the Resilience Coordinator with the Miami-Dade County Office of Resilience. “My internship gave me a solid knowledge of southeast Florida’s coastal ecosystem that has been pivotal in directing my career in the direction I envisioned in college,” says Dornisch.
John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, Palm Beach County’s only state park, is situated on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and the Lake Worth Lagoon. The Park is made up of 438 acres of pristine coastal land and contains four different communities or habitats including seven species of plants and twenty-two species of animals on the endangered or threatened list. MacArthur Beach is truly an “Island in Time”.
https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/local/from-all-over-summer-interns-get-inside-look-macarthur-beach/rbxAnnf3wwhZVx9slm6dEL/