College Students Gain Practical Experience at the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center

Photo courtesy of US Foresty Service Cassie Bauer, US Forest Service student intern on Ice Worm Safari.

By Cassie Bauer and Beth Beimel, Student Interns USFS
Special to the Turnagain Times

It’s a typical day in Portage Valley—a soggy morning of light rain, a slight breeze and a thick layer of clouds resting on the slopes of the Chugach Mountains. The weather may surprise some and leave them questioning the definition of an Alaskan summer day. However, the US Forest Service seasonal naturalists know that it is a great start to another day on the job.
On any given day a Begich, Boggs Visitor Center intern may be found milling throughout the forest serving the public through original interpretive programs, guided ranger hikes, partnership narration, or answering questions at the front desk. Other duties may include but are not limited to educational program and prop development, record keeping of public use in the forest, front-country clean up, special event preparation, interpretive signage and brochure creation, back-country hiking guidance, addressing the needs of special groups, and youth conservation education. Though our duties remain the same throughout the season each day is unique. Day after day we meet new people, face different situations, and are presented with new challenges.
College age interpreters gain hands-on experience with the US Forest Service, but furthermore they craft life-long connections and learn the importance of networking. Interns at the Begich, Boggs Visitors Center are presented with the opportunity to work with other individuals from a variety of backgrounds. Interacting with teachers, biologists, and veterans lends an extraordinary amount of insight into the broad inter-disciplinary profession of Interpretation. Working here in the Chugach National Forest is ideal because not only are we able to exercise our skills in the field but days off we get to play tourist as well. The most rewarding part of working at the Begich Boggs Visitors Center is that we get to do things that directly pertain to what we hope to do in our future professions. We gain valuable knowledge and skills each day we are here. Each experience allows us to practice the skills we have gained in our college classes and also provides us with new skills we could have never imagined we would need. Applying for a seasonal position is a fine way to get started in the field of Natural Resources and we would recommend it to any college student seeking practical experience for the future.
Both Cassie and Beth are majoring in Environmental Education & Interpretation at the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point and are due to graduate in December, 2008. Cassie hopes to join the Peace Corps and eventually work with the public promoting environmental awareness and focusing on resource interpretation. Beth anticipates continuing work with the public promoting environmental stewardship while working towards becoming a wild-land firefighter.