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  The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center
Internship Program

An internship offers students the opportunity
to work hands on with endangered and threatened sea turtles.
Summer Internships are a minimum of twelve weeks
Housing is provided for the twelve week program
Internships are not limited to summer.
 
Work at the center includes:
Preparation and distribution of  food

Cleaning tanks

Working with the water system

Involvement in  medical procedures and the administration
of some medications

Introducing  the public to sea turtles and the goals of  the hospital, during afternoon visiting hours.

 
SUMMER INTERNS 2012

Olivia Gaitros, Alastair McArthur, David Allred, Sarah Lewis, Danielle O'Farrell, Brie Myre, Charlie Lynch and Wyatt Allen

 
David Allred
Appalachian State University
Junior, Biology
Hopes to attend veterinary school.

Olivia Gaitros
University of North Carolina, Wilmington
Sophmore, Double Major, Marine Biology and Chemistry
Olivia has worked with sea turtles for a long time, but wanted to have the "full experience," and is loving every minute of it! Althought playing with squid and turtle poop is not the most enjoyable thing ever, seeing the progress the turtles make every single day is worht it. Sea turtles are hre passion, and hopefully, after enough experience, she'll be able to have a job in the field of sea turtle biology and conservation!


Charlie Lynch
  Pennsylvania State University Graduate
  Community, Environment, and Development

Charlie Lynch is a recent graduate from the Pennsylvania State University with a Community, Environment, and Development degree. After graduation, Charlie headed south once again to act as the lead intern for a swell group. We literally cannot get rid of him. In his spare time he enjoys playing the saxophone, watching Redwall, and dreaming about driving a car.
" This is a place where dinosaurs come to get better, where great strides are made with tiny steps, and where all you need to really succeed is a roll of duct tape and a bucket"  charles lynch
Sarah Lewis
  University of North Carolina - Wilmington
  Biology Degree

Born in California but, being in a military family, has grown up around the world. Sarah was fortunate enough to graduate UNC Wilmington with a B.S. in Biology and minor in Chemistry. She hopes to use this degree as well as her experience with other internships to fulfill a life long dream of being a marine mammal trainer.
Alastair McArthur
  Eckard College Graduate
  Biology Degree
 
Alastair was originally scheduled to intern at the hospital two years ago but, due to previous responsibilities with a volunteer maritime search and rescue team, he was unable to accept.
 Now that he’s here, he is excited and ready to help the animals he’s loved since childhood.
Brie Myre
University of Nebraska-Lincoln 
Senior, Fisheries and Wildlife

Brie is from the great state of Iowa and will graduate from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in December. She will graduate with a degree in Fisheries and Wildlife with Zoo Care and Conservation Biology options, and a Spanish minor. Brie has previous experience with reptile care and husbandry at Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska and rehabilitation and environmental education at the National Marine Life Center in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. She plans to focus her graduate school research on sea turtle conservation, and is excited for the opportunity to gain valuable experience at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital and continue chasing her dreams.

Danielle O'Farrell
Tufts University

Danielle is from San Francisco, but has visitied Topsail Island every year of her life. She is excited to be working withthe creatures that she remembers looking at when she was younger, wide eyed as her parents pointed out the turtles in each tank. Since starting at the Sea Turtle Hospital, Danielle has fallen in love with Monroe. She has also inadvertently started the game Daniellelbow which consists of others balancing rocks on her elbow, usually while she is napping.



Life as an Intern
The work schedule  for interns is 5 1/2 days per week,
with Wednesday afternoon and Sunday free.
A daily schedule always includes morning food and vitamin preparation, and feeding of all sea turtles in residence.
Feeding is followed by cleaning the tanks and providing care to the individual sea turtles as needed.  This might involve medical procedures, special feeding elements and  medication administration.

Five days per week the center is open to visitors, two hours in the afternoon.
During this time interns have the opportunity to introduce our visitors to the sea turtles in residence, their injuries and ailments, and the background and operation of the center.

Some days will also include beach survey work early in the morning, locating and identifying sea turtle tracks, and the relocation of nests when necessary.
Some nights will include searching for nesting females and nest sitting in anticipation of a nest emergence, and post hatch nest data collection.
TO APPLY SUBMIT THE  FOLLOWING:
A brief letter including:
Name
Permanent Address
School address
Phone number
email address
Name of School
Length of Internship desired and;
Dates available.
A brief essay
State why you are seeking an internship at the 
Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center;
and what your expectations are of the experience.
Two letters of recommendation
One from  a professor or teacher,
One from a community leader (i.e. scout ,church, civic).
Mail your completed application to:
Jean Beasley, Executive Director
Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center
PO Box 3012
Topsail Beach, NC  28445