A Day in the Life of an ANGARI Intern

I would highly recommend the ANGARI Foundation internship program to anyone interested in marine science, conservation, or education. My experience was both rewarding and fulfilling, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of such a wonderful organization.

I don’t have the words to thank ANGARI for this opportunity, and can’t wait to see how they continue to better the world with their work.

The most rewarding part of participating in this program was being able to immerse myself in this exciting and educational environment. It was extremely special to be a part of something that gives teachers a once-in-a-lifetime experience that they can use to educate students and inspire the next generation. There aren’t enough thank you’s in the world for ANGARI for allowing me this opportunity and increasing my passion for this area of work.

As an ANGARI intern, my responsibilities have been broad, from assisting with vessel operations, to media marketing and education outreach.

In 2021, I worked as both a remote and in-person intern with ANGARI Foundation supporting ocean education projects. During this time, COVID-19 prevented us from meeting with students in person, and we transitioned our outreach from in-person classroom visits to online lessons and webinars with ANGARI’s partner scientists.

If I could give any advice to future interns, it would be to work hard on the boat, stay organized, and remember what Kevin teaches you! You’re not only getting physical exercise, but you’re also learning how to be precise in everything you do. Then, when you’re not on duty, go see what Florida has to offer. I cannot thank ANGARI Foundation enough for giving me these incredible experiences that I will never forget.

Working with ANGARI to execute an Ocean Expert Exchange was a rewarding experience. I am thankful to now have the experience of promoting an event from start to finish under my belt. This experience has made me want to look further into more opportunities within marketing for nonprofit organizations and given me even more respect for how much goes into programs and livestream webinar events like OEE.

I gained what I most wanted from the event: experience with education outreach. My favorite part of the day was seeing just how much the students welcomed new methods of learning. It felt wonderful to participate in giving them this experience, and reminded me of my own favorite classroom lessons and activities from middle school, which I still remember today. In this case, I gained as much as the students did from the event!

Sea Turtle Day 2020 was a fantastic experience for me. I was able to become involved in public outreach and science communication, two of my own personal goals, and also to see the response of the community to our actions. I loved my first ANGARI outreach event, and I’m looking forward to the next one!

My first few weeks as an ANGARI Foundation intern were mostly spent bringing me up to speed with the workings of the foundation, what would be expected of me as an intern, and what I could expect going forward. Work through an ANGARI Foundation internship doesn’t all take place in the office.

LagoonFest as a whole, was a big part of my internship, and one of the most fun parts. I was able to interact with the public and get them interested in science. It is often hard to find outlets that allow you to educate the public about science in a fun way, and LagoonFest was definitely a great outlet for this.

Overall, I experienced a lot of firsts on this expedition. This was my first trip to the Florida keys and my first time ever being able to witness some amazing marine species, like Caribbean reef squid and spotted eagle rays, in their natural habitat. Experiences like this are extremely humbling. To me, it is a reminder that we, as a collective group, are working towards conserving these animals and the environments they live in.