Interns

#WhyIGive: Fostering the next generation of wildlife warriors

Posted on September 10, 2019 by Dallas Zoo
Tim and Thom DeWitt meet a Dallas Zoo ambassador penguin up close.

In the 12 months since Tim and Thom DeWitt made a gift to the Dallas Zoological Society to create an endowment for the Dallas Zoo’s College Internship Program, more than 100 students have benefited from their generous donation. The initial gift has helped defray operating costs for the program, and the hope is to grow the endowment so it allows the internship program to become self-sustaining. This funding will ensure that for years to come, students can take part in the immersive internship learning environment at the Dallas Zoo.

“We’re thrilled to see the impact our initial donation is having, supporting the next generation of conservationists and helping college students pursue their interests in related fields,” said Tim DeWitt. “What’s on the horizon, though, is most exciting. Once the endowment is fully funded, the possibilities are limitless in terms of how this intern program can grow and help foster a love of wildlife conservation in students.”

In September 2018, the DeWitts committed a gift to be funded over five years to support the ongoing needs of the Dallas Zoo’s internship program, with a portion of that gift dedicated to creating an endowment to sustain and grow the intern program.

“We are so thankful that the DeWitts saw such potential in our internship program and that they share our same passion for cultivating the conservation champions of tomorrow,” said Julie Bates, Dallas Zoo’s Director of Volunteer Services. “College-aged students represent a critical age for nurturing a spirit of service and empowerment, and our internship program is built to help students understand how they can have an impact in creating a better world for animals, and by extension, creating a better world for all of us.”

Having been raised in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Thom DeWitt was familiar with the Dallas Zoo and came here as a child. And as a former educator, he previously had worked with the Zoo on educational opportunities and curriculum to help connect kids with animals, nature, and conservation. It was their nephew, though, who inspired the DeWitts to support the Dallas Zoo after he participated in the internship program several summers ago.

Colton, Tim & Thom DeWitt’s nephew during his Dallas Zoo internship. (He is second from the right)

“Our nephew was very interested in working at the Zoo, but he wasn’t sure in what capacity,” said Thom DeWitt. “The internship gave him exposure to different parts of the Zoo, and we got to hear him come home every day and talk about the experiences he had, and what he was able to see and learn. We immediately recognized this was a wonderful program and felt we needed to find a way to help expand the internship program to even more students.”

The DeWitts hope the endowment eventually allows the internship program to offer scholarships and helps the program conduct outreach to bring in a diverse socioeconomic mix of students to hone their skills at the Dallas Zoo.

More about the Dallas Zoo’s College Internship Program

Approximately 100 undergraduate or graduate students are selected annually (across fall, spring, and summer semesters) to be a part of the Dallas Zoo’s College Internship Program, following a competitive application and interview process. Interns become actively involved in the Zoo’s animal care departments, conservation and research efforts, operations support, and/or administrative positions, working up to 40 hours per week for 12 weeks. Each placement is designed to help the intern gain experience related to their education.

All Dallas Zoo interns are required to complete an educational project, participate in at least one service learning project, and attend professional development sessions designed especially for zoo interns.

To learn more about the program or to find out when the next application period is, please visit our website for all the details.

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Crafting cranes for conservation

Posted on July 13, 2018 by Destinie M. Berry

Dallas Zoo intern Paulina Serra engages guests at one of the whooping crane conservation tables at the Zoo. The intern fundraising campaign runs from July 7 – July 15.

Origami is the simple yet intentional act of folding paper in order to create a delicate piece of art. The practice takes very little material and requires no setup, but according to Dallas Zoo conservation and engagement intern Audrey Silvestre, you need more than just paper. “Origami takes precision and patience,” she says. “A fold that’s a little off can make the final creation look a wonky and lopsided. Being the perfectionist I am, I like to make sure each corner meets the other corner perfectly.”

Her patience has been tested and demonstrated over the past few weeks as she, alongside a group of 48 interns spanning 16 Dallas Zoo departments, has painstakingly crafted more than 1,000 origami cranes in the name of conservation.

Why Cranes?

In Japan, the origami crane is a symbol of hope in challenging times. The belief is, if you are determined enough to craft 1,000 cranes while concentrating on a specific purpose or goal, then your wish can be achieved. The interns took that to heart in honor of the Dallas Zoo’s current conservation focus – support for the endangered whooping crane.

Once upon a time, just 80 years ago, there were only 15 whooping cranes left in the wild. Through concerted conservation efforts, those numbers have slowly grown to almost 800 whooping cranes today in human care and in the wild. But there is still much work to be done before this species is secure.

In response, the Dallas Zoo is on a mission to raise $2.5 million to fund the construction of the Whooping Crane Center of Texas, an off-site whooping crane breeding facility that will be located a few miles from the Zoo. There, we’ll breed whooping cranes for release into the wild and will conduct research to continue to improve wild reintroduction efforts.

How can you help?

Dallas Zoo intern Audrey Silvestre, with a hanging origami crane art piece she created to be sold on-site at the Dallas Zoo this weekend.

Current Dallas Zoo interns have organized a fundraiser, with stations at the Zoo stocked with t-shirts, conservation wristbands, art, stickers, reusable totes, and water bottles, all featuring this amazing bird. Their goal is to raise $10,000 to contribute to the Zoo’s larger capital campaign. While supplies last, anyone who contributes to the fundraiser at the Zoo is gifted one of the interns’ 1,000 paper cranes as a small “thank you” for helping keep the hope alive for this iconic Texas species.

“My knowledge of these beautiful birds has definitely grown a lot since I’ve been here,” Silvestre shares. “It’s sad to know that our actions affect these creatures as well as other wildlife, but together we can definitely make a positive impact.”

There are several ways to get involved to help create a better world for the whooping cranes.

  • Support the interns at the Zoo this weekend by taking part in daily activities from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the ZooNorth Breezeway.
  • Purchase specially designed whooping crane products and original art inspired by cranes and their beauty.
  • Stop by to contribute to our goal of collecting 3,000 pledges for pro-environmental behaviors that benefit whooping cranes.
  • Say yes to “rounding-up for whooping cranes” when you buy something in our Zoofari Market.

If you can’t make it to the Zoo this weekend but still want to help out, you can also submit an electronic donation through paypal.me/DallasZoo. And keep an eye out for more news from the Dallas Zoo about ways you can help support our campaign to build the Whooping Crane Center of Texas!

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