Josie Scramlin’s summer internship with a bird sanctuary helped her career dreams take flight. 

She spent the summer working at the Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research in Delaware. The internship program appealed to her because it would help her further define her career goals. “I have been unsure if I want to work for a non-profit environmental organization or in the sustainability department of a for-profit business,” Scramlin said. “I thought this would be a great chance to learn more the ins and out of working for a non-profit.”

Scramlin, a business administration major with an environmental studies minor, is interested in the area of environmental management and sustainable development.

The internship provided her with many good moments – and the birds helped. “The baby birds are so adorable and sweet to work with,” Scramlin said. “Some of them like the Grackles can be very sassy.”

But it was the people who made the Tri-State experience a great internship. “Everyone was knowledgeable and passionate about the work they do, so it made for a very educational environment,” she said. “The staff were more than happy to share new information or answer any and all questions I had.”

When she asked her supervisor about the business side, she was connected with the development manager.

Most of her clinic work was hands on. She worked with native bird species and didn’t hesitate to quickly list more than a dozen, including Mockingbirds, Blue Jays, Grackles, Carolina Wrens, Barn Swallows, Bluebirds, and Phoebes. She helped prepare food and living spaces for gulls, herons, eagles, hawks, and owls, although most of their needs were handled by experienced staff.

Scramlin began the internship thinking she wanted to work with environmental preservation and degradation prevention rather than remediation of already affected areas. She was curious about doing advocacy for the environment or the prevention of the circumstances that lead birds to become orphaned or injured. She learned, however, that to maintain its non-profit status, the organization can’t participate in advocacy.

“Knowing this, as well understanding the challenges and benefits that come from working at a non-profit has given me a lot more to think about as I make career choices going forward and decide between non-profit and for-profit work,” Scramlin said.