McNEESE STATE UNIVERSITY
Cheyenne Palmer is a Carencro senior at McNeese State University majoring in natural resource conservation management who recently participated in an internship at Audubon Aquarium Rescue. Audubon Aquarium Rescue is the primary organization in Louisiana dedicated to the rehabilitation of stranded marine mammals and sea turtles and is coordinated by the Audubon Nature Institute in New Orleans.
“I plan on getting a job that consists of monitoring reptile populations, so having the experience I gained with sea turtle strandings is extremely beneficial,’ explained Palmer. “I was also able to do some data research, compiling and presenting, which can be a good resource to draw from in future research.”
Palmer enjoyed gaining a better understanding of the logistics behind conservation efforts by filling out paperwork herself and seeing what goes on behind the scenes. She appreciated the community involvement that went on in these efforts.
“I have hands-on experience working with animals from a few labs I took at McNeese, so I was a lot more comfortable when interacting with the dolphins and turtles,” says Palmer. “However, the internship did teach me how to better conduct myself when working with wild animals.”
She expressed that she chose to attend McNeese because it was a smaller university with more hands-on learning, as well as volunteer and experience opportunities compared to other schools she had considered.
Palmer says, “It’s never too early to start looking for internships. Even when it may not be the exact opportunity you were searching for, having experience in a variety of things can be helpful in most places.”
