National Intern Day, observed this year on Thursday, July 25, is a time to recognize and celebrate the invaluable contributions of interns to organizations like Defenders of Wildlife. As we strive to protect and restore imperiled species and habitats, the fresh perspectives and enthusiasm of interns play a crucial role in our mission. Today, we honor their hard work, dedication and the unique value they bring to our organization.
Contributions to Conservation
Interns are essential to Defenders, helping to advance our mission through their energy, creativity and passion for conservation. They provide significant support to various projects, ranging from field research to policy analysis, and their contributions are felt across all levels of our organization. Interns not only aid in our current initiatives but also help pave the way for future advancements in wildlife conservation.
Diverse Academic Backgrounds
Our interns come from a variety of esteemed institutions, bringing diverse academic backgrounds and a wealth of knowledge to Defenders. They hail from universities such as George Washington School of Law, Duke University, Pomona College, George Washington University, Claremont McKenna College, University of California, Berkeley, University of Florida, The University of Chicago, and the University of Washington, Seattle. Their majors range from environmental sciences and policy to international business and environmental economics.
Diversifying the Conservation Field
A critical aspect of Defenders’ work is diversifying the conservation field. By fostering an inclusive environment, we bring together a wide array of perspectives that enrich our understanding and approach to conserving biodiversity. It is vital to have diverse voices contributing to the conversation on conservation, ensuring that our strategies and solutions are well-rounded and effective. Interns with varied backgrounds help us achieve this diversity, bringing unique insights and experiences that enhance our efforts to protect wildlife.
The contributions of interns have a lasting impact on both the organization and, hopefully, the interns themselves, providing essential support that can drive key initiatives forward, while also equipping interns with the skills and knowledge necessary to become future leaders in conservation.
As we celebrate National Intern Day, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to our 2024 summer interns. Your dedication, passion and hard work are instrumental in our mission to protect and restore wildlife and their habitats. We look forward to continuing our journey together, fostering innovation, integration and impact in the field of conservation. Together, we can achieve a more biodiverse and sustainable future.
Meet the 2024 cohort of Defenders’ Interns!
Defenders of Wildlife’s 10-week summer internship program provides interns with in-depth exposure to Defenders’ conservation work, the opportunity to acquire specific skills needed to pursue their professional goals, the opportunity to engage in hands-on research/projects in their field of study, and the opportunity to build professional networks. The program also provides students with cross-disciplinary exposure, one-to-one mentor matching, and peer-to-peer support. Defenders strongly encourages students from historically underrepresented and marginalized backgrounds to apply.
Meet Sam Flanzar
Sam attends The George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C. Hailing from Parkland, Florida, Sam is working in the D.C. office with the Biodiversity Law Center.
Her favorite animals are "sharks because of how misunderstood they are."
Meet Stevan Pekich
Stevan attends The University of Washington in Seattle and is studying aquatic & fiishery science and environmental science. Originally from Anchorage, he is now working with the California team on its effort to reintroduce sea otters to Northern California and Oregon.
His favorite animals are sea lions, saying, "I loved seeing them growing up in Alaska and they always seemed super playful with each other...I was able to see them do all sorts of acrobatics at the Alaska Sealife Center in Seward."
Meet Ethan Ignoffo
Ethan attends the University of California, Berkeley, and is studying environmental economics & policy with a minor in conservation & resource studies. From Mission Viejo, California, Ethan is working with the Center for Conservation Innovation (CCI) team this summer.
Ethan’s favorite animal is the sea otter, saying, "Besides being incredibly cute and charismatic, they are some of the most remarkable marine animals on Earth."
Meet Liam O'Connor
Liam attends the University of Florida and is studying biology and international Studies. From Mount Dora Florida, Liam is working with the CCI policy team this summer out of Washington, D.C.
His favorite animals are "tree kangaroos because they are a more relaxed and cuter bear."
Meet Samuel Klein
Samuel Klein attends the University of Chicago and is studying sociology and CEGU (Committee for the Environment, Geography, Urbanization) with a minor in statistics. He is from Knoxville, Tennessee and this summer he is interning remotely for CCI’s Geographic information system team.
His favorite animal is the banana ball python "because they are cute and yellow and non-venomous."
Meet Lucia Krekorian
Lucia attends The George Washington University and is studying international business and marketing. From South County, Rhode Island, she is working with the Communications team out of D.C.
Her favorite animal is the Northern cardinal, because “the way the males red color shows through the woods in the winter is so gorgeous."
Meet Anna Behuniak
Anna attends Claremont McKenna College in Southern California and is from Portland, Maine. She is studying international relations. This summer, Anna is working in the D.C. office with the Land and Habitat Conservation team.
Anna loves otters because of “the way they float around on their backs and that they play a huge role in protecting kelp forests.”
Meet May Ling Roberts
May attends Pomona College and is studying biology and environmental analysis. Originally from Mill Valley, California, May is working with the Southwest team remotely this summer.
Her favorite animal is the great white shark "because they can sense electromagnetic fields.” She adds that she’s also terrified of them.
Meet Helen Morris
Helen attends Duke University and is studying environmental science and policy with minors in French and history. From Falls Church, Virginia, she is working with the Southeast team out of both D.C. and Asheville, North Carolina throughout the summer.
Her favorite animal is the squirrel because "they're so smart, funny, and spunky.” She adds that if you haven’t seen Mark Rober’s “Backyard Squirrel Maze” on YouTube, to go watch it!
Meet Skye Sunderhauf
Skye attends Bucknell University and is studying environmental studies and animal behavior. From McLean, Virginia, Skye is working with the Alaska team in Anchorage, Alaska this summer.
Her favorite animal is “a manatee because of how gentle, peaceful and cute they are.”
