We are happy to have 10 interns from the University of North Carolina Wilmington with us this spring!  Let's meet them! 

My name is Morgan from Red Springs, N.C. I'm a Senior Biology major w/ concentration in Pre-Vet and minor in Anthropology. I've been working as a Veterinary Assistant for 3 years and I volunteer and  manage social media for several wildlife organizations.

I'm Macy from Charlotte, N.C. I'm currently a senior at UNCW and majoring in marine biology. I chose this internship because I have a deep passion for marine life, so I love having the opportunity to help the sea turtles here!

Hey! My name is Madison and I’m from Greensboro, NC! I’m a senior and my major is Marine Biology. I love sea turtles and I want to do something like this as a future job! I've also heard great things about this internship through friends and other UNCW students. I love the beach, sunsets/sunrises, hanging out with friends, and shopping!

My name is Luke and I’m a junior at UNCW. I’m from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. I am a Biology major with an interest towards conservation/sustainability. I chose this internship to hopefully gain experience working with endangered species as well as to build connections to further my future in the biology world. Also, turtles are very cool.

I’m RJ from Cincinnati OH. I’m a junior at UNCW majoring in Marine Biology. I run a YouTube channel for fishing and fish keeping. I have 1000 gallons of water in my basement back home and love everything aquatic.

My name is Andrew. I’m from Maryland and this is my third year at UNCW. I’m majoring in Marine Biology. I love fishing and am part of the UNCW rowing club.

My name is Tyler. I am a sophomore at UNCW from Summerfield, North Carolina. I am double majoring in Marine Biology with a concentration in Marine Conservation & International Studies with a concentration in Environment. I chose this internship to get a more medical approach to hands-on experience to further my own conservation work portfolio. I love to surf, chase sunrises & sunsets, and I love to go backpacking.

I’m Brianna, a 20-year-old sophomore majoring in Marine Biology from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I have a concentration in Conservation as well as a double minor in Neuroscience and Oceanography. I have always grown up wanting to work with turtles and work in marine mammal rescue, strandings and necropsies. Therefore, I wanted that experience but with a sea turtle hospital, especially since my goal for a future career is to work in marine rehabilitation. I love outdoor adventure activities as well as cooking, reading and writing my own music. Coffee shops are my favorite place to hang out and I love to travel.

Hi, my name is Lauren! I am a Marine Bio and Pre-Vet major. I am from Kernersville North Carolina and I plan to become an aquatic animal veterinarian! I love to watch sunsets, go to coffee shops, and spend time with my pets! I have two dogs, a cat, and a fish! After gaining experience working with dogs and cats at a veterinary clinic, I knew that the world of veterinary medics was the place for me! Working at this internship allows me to gain experience for vet school and help care for a species I love and want to help protect!

My name is Chrystal. I’m a UNCW senior majoring in Biology, Pre-Vet. I chose this internship because I have done a little of everything with land animals and would like to learn a little about sea creatures. I volunteer with All 4 Cats and Paws 4 Purpose Rescue when I can. I write medical protocols for All 4 Cats and I transport animals for Paws 4 Purpose, as well as trap neuter, vaccinate and return cats in all of Onslow and surrounding areas.

We are fortunate once again to have 8 students from UNC-Wilmington with us for the next few months. Let's meet them:

Hello my name is Kailynn and I am a senior at UNCW majoring in biology with a minor in assistance in dog training. I am from Apex, North Carolina and moved down here for college. I absolutely love all animals and wanted to learn more information and hands on experience with marine life! I am currently working as a vet assistant, and I am hoping to go to vet school!

 Athena - I am a junior at UNCW majoring in Biology and minoring in Marine Biology. I am from a small town called Jefferson, North Carolina. Which is close to the beautiful New River and Blue Ridge Parkway, growing up surrounded by nature and wildlife. This summer I worked at the New River State Park as a park attendant. I hope to find another summer job either in a state park again or at a national park but to be on the coast or on Saint John, USVI. I have a deep love for protecting wildlife and our environment. Although this internship isn’t related to my career goals, I am so happy to be doing this type of work as my personal passion. After having experienced this amazing opportunity, I hope to continue volunteering to help sea turtles. "

Hailee - I am from the Outer Banks, NC. I am currently a junior at UNCW with a Biology major, concentrating in Pre-Veterinary Medicine with a minor in Assistance Dog Training. Coming from a beach town, I am very familiar with the ocean and its marine life. As such, working as an intern for KBSTRRC felt like the perfect fit for me! I have always loved sea turtles, and working with them now is such a privilege. This experience will be especially helpful in determining what kind of veterinarian I want to become. 

Jena - I am currently a senior at UNCW and am from Hillsborough, New Jersey. I will be graduating this spring with a BS in marine biology with a concentration in conservation. I have always wanted to work in rescue and rehabilitation and am so grateful to have this experience at KBSTRRC! I can’t wait to learn more about the care and conservation of sea turtles through this internship and hope I continue to do so in my future career.
 
Phoebe - I am from Jacksonville, NC and I am a senior at UNCW. I am majoring in biology and minoring in chemistry. I was excited to learn about this opportunity and I am so grateful to be chosen as one of the interns this semester. As an aspiring veterinarian, I look forward to being able to work with the sea turtles so I can diversify my experience and help the animals as well. 

Matt - I am from Cary NC, and currently a senior at UNCW for a degree in marine biology. I have always been around the water and it's exciting to be turning that hobby into a possible career. KBSTRRC is such an awesome opportunity to be hands on with the turtles and I am learning so much. Sea turtles are such amazing animals and I feel very lucky to be a part of this great crew!

Kira - "I am from Asheville, North Carolina and I am a second semester junior at UNCW. I am a marine biology major with a conservation concentration. My plan is to continue with school after completing my undergrad and getting both my master's degree and PHD in marine biology. I would like to use my schooling and this internship to obtain a job that allows to me to work with these animals in my career and making the ocean a safer place for them. I am so happy to be an intern at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital and getting to work with these beautiful creatures to help spread awareness."

Kayleen - I’m from Jacksonville, NC and currently I am majoring in Marine Biology with a concentration in Marine Conservation. Throughout my life I have always been traveling and gaining new experiences. While living in Nicaragua I was able to help a rehabilitation center release sea turtle hatchlings and this experience was a major influence in pursuing my degree. I graduate this semester and plan on continuing to gain experience within marine conservation so hopefully one day I can work with a facility just like this one. I’m thankful to have the opportunity to be an intern here since I will be able to have hands on experience with endangered species and share the importance of conserving them to the public. 

We have once again welcomed 10 interns from UNC-Wilmington. They will spend their Saturdays learning about turtle care and husbandry as well as  practicing their communication skills by teaching the public about sea turtles.  

Let's meet our interns:

Angelica: St. Peterburg, FL Marine Biology Major (Senior) I have spent 16 years in the military and decided it was time to go back to school and get a degree in something I am passionate about. The ocean and animals have always been that for me so a degree in Marine Biology was perfect. I became a volunteer at the KBSTRRC over a year ago and fell in love with caring for the Sea Turtles. I realized it's something I wanted to pursue in my future so doing an internship working hands on with the turtles just made sense. 

Bryce: I’m currently a senior at UNCW studying biology with minors in chemistry and environmental sciences. I’m from Poolesville Maryland and I’m grateful for this experience working with the KBSTRRC. Sea turtles are my favorite animal and since I was a little kid, I knew that I was going to be involved one day. This internship has allowed me to work hands on with the turtles along with an awesome team that I sincerely cherish.

Ben: My hometown is Calabash, NC. and I am a junior at UNC Wilmington, majoring in Biology and minoring in Neuroscience. Every summer my family would visit Sunset Beach, NC, and that first sparked my interest in turtles as they nested on the island. I am very excited to be interning at KBSTRRC this spring and assisting in the sea turtle conservation effort! 

Lauren: I am from Ellicott City, Maryland! I am currently a junior at UNCW and I am a marine biology major. I'm so excited to be an intern here this semester and expand my knowledge of marine animal care. I hope my experience with this internship helps guide me in my decision of post-grad plans and my future career aspirations!

Eric: Growing up in Richmond, Virginia, I was fortunate enough to have a family boat in the Chesapeake Bay where we spent as many weekends as possible cruising around and enjoying the water and all the wonderful forms of marine life found in the world’s largest estuary. It was during that time that I developed a deep affection for the ocean and aquatic life of all kinds, which ultimately led to me coming to UNC Wilmington to study marine biology. In my time here I was fortunate enough to watch a sea turtle nest hatch, as well as getting a tour of the turtle hospital. Something in me stirred after these events… I knew that I wanted to give back to the ocean in some way, and the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center seemed like the perfect way to give back to such beautiful animals in their times of need.

Ian: I'm from Charlotte, NC and currently majoring in Biology at UNCW. I enjoy spending my time outside rock climbing, slack lining, or scuba diving. I grew up in a house filled with a variety of animals which sparked my scientific curiosity. After watching KBSTRRC releases I fell in love and decided to become an intern to be a part of their conservation efforts! 

Emma: I am from Cary, NC. I'm currently a junior at UNCW majoring in oceanography and minoring in marine biology and dance. I hope to work with sea turtles in my career and so this internship offers exciting, hands-on experience. I have absolutely loved the internship thus far and am excited for the rest of the semester!

Hai:  I am from Tay Ninh, Viet Nam. I'm currently a junior at UNCW for Marine Biology major and thinking of minor in digital photography. I plan to further study specifically about turtles and the deep sea after graduation since they are the reason why I am here in a different country, in this major and in this hospital. My dream job would be working on a crew that explore the Antarctic. I am happy to be here this semester. It is like a big check mark on my journey! 

Jenessa: I am from Hickory, North Carolina, and I’m currently a senior at UNCW. I am a marine biology major and a French minor.  I would love to go to vet school in the future, but plan to work for at least a year before I apply to gain more diverse experience! I hope to continue working as a kennel tech and hopefully do more work as a vet assistant this coming year. I’m so grateful to be an intern with KBSTRRC this semester to add to my experience and work with wildlife!
 
Raful:  I am from Clayton, North Carolina, and I am currently a junior at UNCW. I am a marine biology major with a concentration in conservation. I plan on continuing to find and gain experience in this scientific field after I graduate, and hopefully work at a conservation and rehabilitation facility just like this one! I absolutely love sea turtles and am super grateful to be an intern here this semester to help spread awareness for these endangered and beautiful animals!

This spring, we welcomed 10 interns from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. In addition to learning about turtle care and husbandry, the students practiced their communication skills by teaching the public about sea turtles, and completed a project. One such project - a video about KBSTRRC - appears above.

In their own words, here is an introduction to the KBSTRRC Spring, 2021 student interns.

LUCY: Hi, everyone! My name is Lucy. I am currently a third-year undergraduate student at UNCW. I am majoring in Biology and minoring in Clinical Research. I have grown up spending my summers on the Gulf coast of Florida in Sanibel and Captiva Islands and have fallen in love with ocean conservation and marine life. This past summer, I worked for a marine science education program through UNCW called MarineQuest. I had the opportunity to educate middle schoolers on all things sea turtles and was able to visit KBSTRRC several times. I loved the passion and enthusiasm that everyone at the facility had for their job and knew that I wanted to get involved. I am so excited to be an intern and have the opportunity to make a difference while also gaining meaningful experiences at KBSTRRC! 

KIM: Hi, my name is Kim. I am currently a junior marine biology major at UNCW and an intern at the KBSTRRC. I am from New Jersey and came down to North Carolina for school. After I graduate, I plan on going on to graduate school to get my master's degree. I have always had such a love and passion for marine life and conservation. I am eager to expand my knowledge of sea turtle conservation and rehabilitation!
 
KELSEY: Hi, my name is Kelsey and I am originally from Leicester, Massachusetts and moved to North Carolina in 2019. Since I was a child, I have always been fascinated with wildlife and animals. I have worked in the environmental science field at nature preserves such as Massachusetts Audubon Society and have also volunteered at local animal shelters here in North Carolina. My previous experiences have led me to pursue a degree in biology as an undergraduate at UNC Wilmington. I will be graduating in the spring of 2022 with future goals to attend veterinary school to obtain my DVM. I am very excited to be working as an intern at KBSTRRC this spring and learning about the rehabilitation process of sea turtles!
 
HANNAH: My name is Hannah and I am from Jacksonville, NC. I am currently a junior at UNC-Wilmington, majoring in Marine Biology. My plan is to attend NC State College of Veterinary Medicine and earn my DVM. To gain experience I am currently working at a small animal hospital and now at KBSTRRC to gain experience in marine life. I am thankful to be involved in the KBSTRRC to allow me the opportunity to learn more about sea turtles and how to care and protect them.
 
VICTORIA: Hi! My name is Victoria, and I am a senior at UNCW. I will be graduating this summer with a degree in marine biology and a minor in oceanography. I have always been passionate about marine life and understanding how the ocean affects everything! Being able to give back to the environment and work directly with animals for their benefit is truly inspiring to me. I am honored to be an intern and be a part of such a meaningful project like KBSTRRC. I am most excited to learn about what it takes to rehabilitate the sea turtles and more about their ecology! 
 
REJANA: Hi, my name is Rejana! I am currently an undergraduate at UNC Wilmington majoring in Marine Biology with a minor in Oceanography.  I am very excited to be part of this internship opportunity as I would like to eventually have a career working at a marine mammal rehabilitation center. I am also interested in getting involved with Cetacean research and exploring the ways in which whales and dolphins visually perceive the underwater world. This is my first time working with sea turtles, so I am eager to learn all that I can to help me get one step closer to my career goals!
 
CORINNE: Hi, my name is Corinne! I am a marine biology student at UNCW and I'm so excited to be a spring intern here at the KBSTRRC. Growing up in upstate New York, I was surrounded by lakes but always had a love for the ocean and the creatures that live in it! My dream job is to work at a marine hospital on a rescue and release team, so I knew this opportunity was the perfect fit for me. I am so excited to work with our sea turtle patients and lead tours of the facility! 
 
MORGAN: Hi! My name is Morgan and I am currently a junior at UNCW majoring in Biology and minoring in Spanish. I am from Charlotte, NC and have always been interested in anything to do with animals and as I have grown up my passion has centered around the medical aspect of it. After graduating from here I am hoping to attend veterinary school to get my DVM and possibly specialize in large animal medicine. I have experience working with animals from shadowing in an animal clinic and having the opportunity to return with a short-term paid position as a vet tech. Helping out there solidified my love for veterinary medicine and fueled my interest in exploring additional animal specialties other than general practice. I felt as though I needed to branch out and that is why I am so stoked for this internship and the ability to broaden my experiences working with sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation!
 
SIERRAH: Hey everyone! My name is and I am originally from Greeley Colorado but moved to North Carolina in the summer of 2021! I originally attended school at the University of Northern Colorado for my first two years, majoring in ecology, and then before the start of my third year I transferred to the University of North Carolina- Wilmington, where I am currently getting a degree in marine biology. From the time I was a little kid I have always wanted to work with marine animals; I would always say that I wanted to work with dolphins when people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up. Although I have refined my response to that question now, I still have a passion for working with marine animals and after graduation I hope to be work in the rescue and rehabilitation field of marine biology. Which is why I was extremely eager to get the opportunity to intern at the KBSTRRC and get to explore more of the field that I am interested in!
 
OLIVIA: My name is Olivia, and I am currently finishing up my senior year at UNCW, although I am originally from Pennsylvania. I am studying biology with a chemistry minor. Sea turtles have been my favorite animal ever since I can remember, so I am very excited to be able to work with them each week. This is a great hands-on learning experience that is giving me valuable knowledge and experience to help me further my career in biology and conservation.

This fall, we welcomed 10 interns from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. In addition to learning about turtle care and husbandry, the students practiced their communication skills by teaching the public about sea turtles, and completed a project. One such project - a video entitled "A Day in the Life of an Intern" appears above.

In their own words, here is an introduction to the KBSTRRC Fall, 2021 student interns.

AMBER: Hello, my name is Amber and I am from Asheville NC! I am currently finishing up my last semester as a student at UNC Wilmington studying Marine Biology. I’ve always had a love for animals and grew up working with dogs, horses, and farm animals. As I got older I discovered my passion for marine life and now hope to work in shark conservation in the future. This is my first experience working with sea turtles but I am learning a lot about conservation and rehabilitation and love sharing this new knowledge with the community!

ANDRA: Hello, my name is Andra and I am currently a Senior at UNCW majoring in Marine Biology with a concentration in Conservation and minoring in Oceanography. I have a love for all animals, but I wanted to intern at Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation hospital to learn the husbandry side of caring for sea turtles. I have grown up with pets ranging from dogs, cats, fishes, and a rabbit so I have developed a love for all animals. This has developed my future interest to obtain my Veterinary Assistant certification that I hope to use first gaining experience working at a domestic veterinary facility and then moving to either a Zoo or Aquarium to work with wild animals. I also hope to become scuba certified and one day explore the ocean in various regions of the world.

BRANDON: Hey, my name is Brandon and I am currently a junior at UNCW. I am majoring in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. I have grown up around animals in the wild and caring for them on farms. I have a passion for preserving the natural environment and threatened species. I have lived on the coastline my entire life, which has allowed me the chance to interact with many marine species of fish and mammals. I have seen first-hand the impact of human presence on wildlife. I have made it my mission to help these animals in any capacity available to me. This internship is a great opportunity for providing hands-on care for marine reptiles and applying the knowledge I have learned during my studies at UNCW.

CAITLYN: My background is in library science but when I decided to go back to college there was no doubt that I would major in Marine Biology. I’m from Atlantic Beach, NC, and have always been fascinated by the life and complexity in our oceans that we are still barely beginning to understand. Growing up on the coast, sea turtles had an almost mythical status: everyone talked about them but few people had witnessed one in the wild. Being allowed to work with them now has been very special. I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to contribute to the mission at KBSTRRC and am hoping to apply the practical knowledge I’ve gained here in future research on evolutionary biology and how organisms adapt to different environmental conditions and survive in niche habitats across the globe.

CODY: My name is Cody Parrish, I'm born and raised in North Carolina. I'm currently a senior at the University of North Carolina - Wilmington majoring in Marine Biology with a Conservation concentration. I always hoped for the opportunity to help animals like sea turtles and becoming an intern at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital allowed me to do that. I thankful that I was able to take part in the KBSTRRC internship experience. This experience has help me become more confident in myself, given me new knowledge regarding sea turtles, allowed me to work in a new environment, and allowed me to work with fantastic individuals. Hopefully, I will get to continue to help sea turtles to give them a brighter tomorrow.

DEEDRA: My name is Deedra I’m from Arizona and am currently in my senior year at UNC-Wilmington. I am majoring in marine biology with a focus in marine conservation. Ever since I was little, I wanted to be a marine biologist, and being an intern at the Karen Beasley Sea turtle hospital has continued to fuel that fire. It has helped solidify my goal to have a career in marine animal conservation. I am beyond grateful to be an intern at KBSTRRC. It has so far broadened my knowledge in, adjusting to a new environment, adapting to change, and working with new people and turtles. I hope to work with turtles in the future!

MILLY: My name is Milly! I am a senior at the University of North Carolina Wilmington majoring in Marine Biology. I grew up in Albemarle, North Carolina, but last year, my family relocated to Shallotte, NC.  I was thrilled to be able to intern at the KBSTRRC. I grew up spending lots of summers at the beach, especially with my grandmother in Georgia. She began taking me to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center when I was young which instantly spiked my interest in sea turtles. During high school,  I spent as much time as I could near the water and stayed up late in hopes of seeing a sea turtle nest hatch.  In addition, one summer, I was able to job shadow Mark Dodd, the Georgia Sea Turtle Program Coordinator for the GADNR.  From watching hatchlings crawl to the ocean to seeing my first stranding, I knew sea turtle conservation was where I wanted to be. After graduating in May 2022, I plan to begin my career in sea turtle conservation.  
PAYTON: Hi my name is Payton and I am a senior at UNC-Wilmington studying Marine Biology with a concentration in Conservation with a minor in Leadership Studies. I have been passionate about working with animals since I was a kid helping my mom in the veterinary office where she worked. I found my place with marine animals later from the movie Dolphin Tale and realized that my goal, outside of college,  is to work at a Rescue, Rehabilitation and Release center for marine animals. This is my first exposure to the animal hospital lifestyle and I am excited for everything I will learn through this experience.

SAMMY: Hiya, my name is Sammy and I am a senior at UNCW studying marine biology and Spanish. I grew up on the Jersey shore so my life evolves around the ocean and all of the animals that live within it. I studied abroad in the Galápagos Islands last year where I fell in love with sea turtles and for that reason I am so excited to be interning at the KBSTRRC this semester. In the future, I hope to focus my career on conservation based research projects and continue working hands on with marine life!