Impact Spotlight
Monday, August 26, 2019
Experience Beyond the Classroom
Internships create opportunities for students to learn and grow outside of the classroom and become more prepared for their future careers. Oklahoma State University has partnered with the Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks to provide opportunities for OSU students majoring in biology and engineering.
Paid internships are supported by incredible donors like Bill Beaulieu, and opportunities
to contribute
still exist. To help the aquarium continue this great program you can donate to the
Integrative Biology Department Fund by contacting Laura Ketchum at 405.385.0701 or
lketchum@osugiving.com.
Hallie Moss
Class of '20
Hometown:
Overland Park, Kansas
Major: Ecology and Conservation Biology and Environmental Biology
Minors: Microbiology and Zoology
How would you put into words the impact your internship has had on you?
It's actually hard to put into words what exactly the experience has done for me. I've learned so many things that couldn't be learned in a classroom setting. I've gained a sense of confidence that I’ve never had before by being part of OSU's Coral Research Team at the Oklahoma Aquarium. I feel like I really belong in this field of work, and being an intern at the aquarium has solidified my passion for this field.
How important would you say this internship has been to your education and future?
I think internships like this are so important because they teach you things that you can’t learn in a classroom but are so important for the workplace. When I finish my undergraduate in May 2020, I'll have three years of experience working at an aquarium. That's so incredible to me, and I just feel so lucky that I even had this opportunity in the first place.
What has been your favorite part of your internship?
My favorite part of being an intern at the Oklahoma Aquarium has been being part of the behind-the- scenes side of the work they do. I've been going to the Oklahoma Aquarium ever since I was really young, and I have always been infatuated with every exhibit they have there. So, it's been a really special experience for me to be the person who gets to go to work there every week and just to be a part of the work they are doing.
Ann Money
Occupation: Director of Education Programs and Research, Oklahoma Aquarium
What types of internships are offered to OSU students, and what role do those students typically have?
The Oklahoma Aquarium offers several different internship paths. There are internship positions in animal husbandry, chemistry lab/water testing, engineering, education and research. The student interns help support the department in which they are placed, like food preparation, animal care, running water chemistries, leading school groups/curriculum writing, independent engineering design and research assistance in our coral lab.
How would you describe the importance and impact of the hands-on experience the interns gain?
Internships allow students to explore possible career choices, and being immersed in the job gives a real-world experience. The knowledge and work ethic gained during an internship are skills and information to carry into a career. Students leave the internship having gained experience that is not available in a classroom. In addition, they make connections with professionals in their field who can act as mentors and references in the future.
What is the significance of having donors who are willing to support paid internships?
The majority of internships available to undergraduates, specifically undergraduates in science fields, are unpaid. This limits the experiences for students who are unable to afford the travel and time away from paying jobs. The ability to offer paid internships opens up the opportunity to more students who could benefit and learn from the experience.
Bill Beaulieu
Occupation: Chair of the Helmerich Research Center Advisory Board; Donor
Why did you choose an internship program to fund?
One of my wife Diana’s and my long-term goals has been to support education. We have found opportunities to do so through interns who are being educated in fields we have a strong interest in. Our support of the intern at OSU grew from our interest in the Oklahoma Aquarium and the research conducted there.
How would you describe the significance of internships for today’s students, and what feeling does it give you creating an opportunity like this?
From our experience, internships are an essential part in the education of students and in their preparation for post- graduate work or employment. We feel like we are giving back to others when we can support a student through an internship. That is an extremely rewarding feeling for us.
How have internships played a role in you and your family’s college/career experiences?
Neither my wife nor I had the fortune to have an internship in our education. Times were different then. We were both fortunate then to have jobs that helped us pay for part of our education. But both of our children who graduated from OSU had internships. My son had a paid internship with Chesapeake, which led to his current job there. My daughter had an unpaid internship, which led her to her graduate degree in sports marketing at the University of Colorado. She now works as a senior consultant for the Persimmon Group in Tulsa.