by Rachel McCoy
UMCA Information Specialist
“Wanted: Hard-working, motivated college students with a desire to protect and preserve Missouri’s natural resources and begin a future career path through an innovative summer internship experience.”
Thanks to a new program instituted by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), more than 20 undergraduate students from across the state could answer this request this summer. The MDC recently introduced an internship program, in collaboration with universities across Missouri, and is recruiting and training top-quality students for future careers in forestry, fisheries, wildlife or parks, recreation and tourism.
“This is much more than just a summer job,” said Dr. William Kurtz, forestry professor, University of Missouri-Columbia. “It's a premium internship opportunity, a combination of field work and educational collaboration with a faculty member.”
Last year, Dr. Kurtz and Dr. Gene Garrett, Director, University of Missouri School of Natural Resources, met with human resources representatives from the MDC to discuss the project. A committee prepared the criteria for the internships, which are designed to locate and recruit premium students from undergraduate programs in conservation disciplines. The program also includes internship opportunities for graduate- level students.
Rebecca Solum, MDC human resources specialist, explained the program's objectives include exposing students to professional tasks within MDC; mentoring students in a range of conservation initiatives; and offsetting a declining number of candidates for conservation positions. “We hope the students will experience a variety of career options in conservation, and learn about conservation tracks they might not have previously considered,”
Solum said. “We also find that the students bring a diverse, technologically skilled level of experience to our programs that is a true asset.” Solum said students with current expertise in conservation disciplines, and those seeking to explore careers in conservation, will benefit from the internship program. “This combination helps to maximize the program's effectiveness at reaching its goals,” she added.
Ryan Dawson hopes to serve landowners through an MDC summer internship. |
Ryan Dawson, a senior at the University of Missouri-Columbia from Nixa, Mo., applied for an MDC internship and hopes to gain practical experience working alongside a forester in the field.
“Many landowners are unaware that MDC provides free assistance in developing a forestry management plan, and even cost-share programs, which will often pay a substantial portion of the management operations they decide to implement,” Dawson said. “Active forest management is critical to maintaining healthy forests, and I hope to promote this idea among landowners.”
One component of the program that distinguishes it from other internships is the selection process. Students must be recommended for the program by faculty from their university, and will work with a faculty member to plan their internship activities. Monthly reports are presented to the faculty advisor, who schedules an on-site visit with the student during the summer. Tuition fees for college credit hours earned through the internship are funded by MDC, and students also receive an hourly salary. The program is open to students from across the state.
“This program hand-selects and identifies our state's future leaders in conservation and natural resources, allowing employers to reach the best quality students for future hiring potential,” said Kurtz. “We're starting now to recruit from an outstanding university student base that will lead the future of natural resources in Missouri.”