Here at PUC, biology students have countless opportunities to get involved with research, oftentimes working alongside professors on projects. Programs are specially curated to not only prepare students academically but also to equip them with real-world experience for success in future endeavors.
Here’s one student’s experience and how they feel PUC helped prepare them.
Who are you?
My name is Jessica Edens, and I’m a senior environmental studies major. After graduation from PUC, I plan to pursue law school and get my J.D.
What did you do?
My internship is with the Bureau of Reclamation within the Department of Interior as a park ranger. While there are many duties, one is working with local non-profits and other organizations to educate youth groups or perform community outreach programs. There are a lot of natural resource activities involved, like trail building and maintenance, invasive species prevention program for quagga and zebra mussels, re-planting of native trees, conservation, and water management.
When and where did you do this work?
My internship is at Lake Berryessa, California. I have worked there since July 2018.
What did you learn?
A big part of being a park ranger is working with the environment while educating people in the hopes of creating or maintaining good conservation practices. It’s trying to spread the idea we only have one earth and we should be preserving what we have.
How did your experience at PUC help prepare you for this experience?
Being an environmental studies major, I took a lot of classes about biology and the environment. There were many classes I took at PUC I am able to use in this internship. So much of the material and topics I learned in the classroom have proven invaluable in aiding my ability to speak knowledgeably on a subject.