The 2011 Conservation Academy

Training a Diverse National Park Service Workforce for the 21st Century

Student Conservation Association

A Collaboration of the National Park Service, Student Conservation Association and the Teton Science School

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GoalsLaunched in March of 2011, The Conservation Academy is designed to introduce diverse undergraduate and graduate stu-dents from across the country to career opportunities with the National Park Service. The major goals of the Academy are to:

• Providediversestudentswithclassroomandexperientialopportunitieswhichexposethemtocareerpathswithinthe National Park Service

• Provide“on-thejob”trainingtoparticipantsthroughinternships at national parks

• ProvideNPSmentorrelationshipstodeepenstudents’knowledge of the National Park Service

• ProvideambassadorrolesforstudentsattheircollegeoruniversitytosharetheirexperienceattheAcademyandpromote National Park Service opportunities with peers and faculty

The ParticipantsAcademy participants included African American, Latino, Asian American and Caucasian students recruited from collegesanduniversitiesnationwide,including:AlabamaA&M;FortValleyState;GordonCollege;HumboldtState;MiddlesexCommunityCollege;St.Mary’sUniversity;RichardStocktonCollege;SanJoseState;SavannahState;SUNY;UniversityofBaltimore;UniversityofMassachusetts;andUtahStateCollege.

The TrainingFromMarch12-18,2011,the29selectedstudentsgatheredatTetonScienceSchoolforsixdaysoftrainingwithafocus on:

• NPShistory,careeropportunities,structuresandsystems,legacyandleaders• Diversityofpeopleandecologicalsystems• Conservationandcommunityneeds• Self-reflectionandpersonalandprofessionaldevelopment

The InternshipsFromMaythroughAugust,2011,thestudentswhocompletedthetrainingweredeployedtoSCAandNPSSTEPinternships at national park sites which included:

• AcadiaNationalPark• ColoradoNationalMonument• FortMcHenryNationalMonumentandHistoricShrine• GlacierNationalPark• GrandCanyonNationalPark• GrandTetonNationalPark• LowellNationalHistoricalPark• YellowstoneNationalPark.

Conservation Academy Intern Nara McCray, along with a hydrology sector intern, uses GPS technology to locate water valves at Grand Teton National Park.

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Internships included a variety of National Park Service projects: administrativesupport;bioscienceresearch;blogging;fireeffectsstudy;GIS;interpretation;professionalservices;trailbuilding andmaintenance;utilitysystemsoperation;wildlifebrigade; YouthConservationCorpscrewleading;VisitorsIntheParks program support.

While serving in various capacities at the parks, the students were matched with NPS employee mentors to facilitate one-to-one discussions and modeling of NPS and conservation career explorationandtransition.

AcademyAmbassadorsFollowingtheirsummerinternships,thestudentsreturnedtotheirschoolsandaresharingtheirtrainingandintern experienceswithpeersthroughclassroompresentations,photojournaling,bloggingandothermedia.Onevery successfulexampleincludesalunch-timepresentationbythestudentwho,duringherinternship,servedasspecial assistant to the Superintendent at Grand Canyon National Park.

InternProfileAshleeLeeisa2011graduateofFortValleyStateUniversityinFortValley,GAwithaBSinAnimalScience.WhileattendingtheUniversity,shewaspresidentoftheAnimalScienceClub,AssistantSecretarytotheStudentGovernmentAssociation,amemberofPSLSAMP(PeachStateLouisStokesAllianceforMinorityParticipation),theEquineClubandtheNAACP. She grew up in Atlanta, GA where she has lived her entire life.

Ashlee’sdecisiontoparticipateintheAcademywasmadeafterseeingYosemiteParkRangerSheltonJohnsonontheOprahWinfreyShowdiscussingthelackofAfricanAmericanvisitorstoparksandthelackofAfricanAmericanparkrangers.BeforeattendingtheAcademytrainingatGrandTetonNationalPark,Ashleehadneverbeentoanationalpark.

AsaninterpreterinternatGlacierNationalPark,Ashlee’sprimarytaskwastoconnectwitheachvisitoremotionallyandintellectuallythroughtellingthePark’sstory.Herweeklyscheduleddutiesincludedaonehourbearpresentationinthevisitorcenter,guidedhikesthroughoutthepark,aboattourandguidedhike,workingatthevisitorcenterfrontdeskandconductingabearcliniconceaweekonbearsafetyandbearsprayusage.

ImpactFollowingtheirparticipationintheAcademy,theparticipantsweresurveyedabouttheirtrainingandinternships.Resultswereoverwhelminglypositivewithover90%reporting:

• theirexperiencewillbeusefulinthefuture• theservicetheyperformedmadeadifferencetotheenvironmentand/orcommunity• theylearnedusefulconservationskills• theirexperiencefacilitatedagreaterconnectiontothenaturalworld• theirservicewasimportantandmeaningful

Conservation Academy Intern Gimie Doherty served as special assistant to the Superintendent at Grand Canyon National Park.

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Intern Comments“ My communication with others is great now and this opportunity has given me a chance to pursue a career in the National Park Service.”

“ I learned how invasive plants affect the native environment. I also learned the different jobs that I can do with a Biology degree. I met new people and experienced a different environment and routine from the one I have in California. I enjoyed every moment of my time in Colorado National Monument.”

“ I accomplished a better understanding of how the National Park Service works and all the different divisions who have to work together to keep everything running. I also learned how to properly develop a program and convey it to visitors. This internship had a very positive impact on my life. It especially taught me about independence and to speak up if something isn’t going according to plan.”

“ I was born and raised in Corpus Christi, Texas and I was placed in Grand Teton National Park. That is the furthest I have ever been from home and never did I once get home sick or desired to leave my internship. I believe this experience has made me grow in so many ways and for once I think I know what I want to do after graduation—work for the Park Service. I would recommend this program to anyone interested in serving the environment or enjoys working with people.”

“ During this internship I learned so much about wildlife and the importance of recycling, using less waste, etc., so the animals could be there for years to come. I also learned a great deal about myself in terms of what I want to do for the rest of my life and how much conservation impacts me, the environment, and the world.”

“ I helped improve the park’s trails and am especially proud of the bridge and cabin that I helped work on. I also helped in the park’s GIS office working with numerous departments. I really appreciated the opportu-nity to work with so many wonderful people and the amount of self-improvement I’ve seen as a result of this summer. I’m stronger now, physically and mentally, and so is my determination to continue my studies in the environmental field.”

ConclusionFor54years,SCA’sactive,hands-onapproachtoconservationhashelpedtodevelopanewgenerationofconserva-tionleaders,inspirelifelongstewardship,andsaveourplanet.IncollaborationwiththeNationalParkServiceandtheTetonScienceSchool,theConservationAcademycontinuesandexpandsthislegacyasittrainsanewgenerationofdiverse conservation leaders, many of whom will choose careers and leadership roles in the National Park Service. As theydoso,thesebright,youngleaderswilldiversifytheService’sworkforceandfacilitateandencouragevisitsto,andrecreationin,America’sincomparablepubliclandsbytherich,diversepopulationthatisAmericatoday.

Byallaccounts,thefirstyearoftheConservationAcademywasaresoundingsuccess.TheNationalParkService,theStudentConservationAssociation,andtheTetonScienceSchoolareworkingcollaborativelyandstrategicallytoensurethattheAcademywillnotonlycontinue,butwillexpandtoincludemorestudents,moreparksservedandamorediverse National Park Service workforce in years to come.

Student Conservation Association PO Box 550 • 689 River Road • Charlestown, NH 03603 • 603.543.1700 thesca.org