McNEESE STATE UNIVERSITY
Emily Clark, from Sulphur, is a senior natural resource conservation management major attending McNeese State University who recently completed an internship with National Audubon Society serving as a beach-nesting bird technician.
“The most important thing I learned during the internship was to take every opportunity available to learn something new and get as much hands-on experience as possible,” she explained.
“In the classroom, we often discussed the human dimensions aspect of conservation. This helped me consider many perspectives people have regarding conservation,” Clark said. “Part of my job included interacting with the public and being a steward for wildlife, and what I learned at McNeese prepared me for communicating Audubon’s mission to the public.”
While being out in the field, Clark learned that preparation is key and that it is important to be adaptable when things don’t go according to plan.
“I chose McNeese so I could get hands-on experience with the plants and wildlife in our region,” she expressed. “Attending the university has given me greater appreciation for the natural diversity our state boasts.”
Clark enjoys natural resource conservation management because it’s a diverse major that incorporates biology, land management, wildlife management and agriculture all in one. She wants to be better prepared for a wide range of careers that fall anywhere in wildlife, environmental and agricultural fields.
In the future, she would “love to continue working with birds and eventually combine her experience with wildlife and her interest in writing to communicate important topics in conservation to the public.”
To students looking for internships, she said the best first step is “to get out there and volunteer.
“There are lots of opportunities out there and making connections is essential,” added Clark.
