CAREER EXPLORATION IN WILDLIFE CONSERVATION WITH FOCUS ON VETERINARY SCIENCE & EARTH STUDIES

On this program, you will experience life in a quintessential South African reserve and learn about conservation on the front lines. You might spot Africa’s “Big Five” in the region — lions, leopards, elephants, Cape buffalo and rhinos. By night, you’ll live at a rustic Home Base on the reserve, listening to traditional stories and learning about tribal culture. By day, shadow wildlife conservationists in the South African bush, go on game drives to observe animals and learn about sustainably preserving the region’s endangered species. Your animal conservation efforts will be hands-on and incredibly immersive: learning tracks and signs to identify wildlife and assisting an anti-poaching unit with wildlife predator monitoring.

Interns will also volunteer to support conservation projects at the KwaZulu-Natal Crocodile Center, head to the sea to watch humpback whales migrate north to tropical waters for the winter and observe a K9 anti-rhino poaching dog unit patrol service. Students will spend the remaining time at two of Africa’s remarkable wetland and coastal sites: St Lucia Wetlands Park and Cape Vidal Game Reserve.

Your time in South Africa will be rich with hands-on learning as you collaborate with your peers, conservationists and local leaders to preserve natural habitat and protect endemic animal populations. Hear from experts in the field about the challenges of preserving species such as elephants, giraffes, rhinos and major wild predators in the region. Learn to spot fresh wildlife prints, identify wildlife tracks, discuss endangered species and more. Discover the biodiversity within the bush ecosystem and find out how nature and animal reserves play an incomparable role in the conservation of threatened and endangered species. Expand your knowledge of estuary ecology and the role that the hippopotamus and crocodile play in this delicate coastal ecosystem. Lake St. Lucia is a UNESCO World Heritage site and hidden gem that is home to the largest population of hippos in South Africa. In Babanango Reserve, hear from one of South Africa’s leading experts in the field of Earth Science and learn how 3 billion-year-old rock formations tell the story of our past.

Located in two well-known game reserves in Kwa-Zulu Natal and St. Lucia, students will be able to hear the surrounding nature as they fall asleep! Accommodations are basic, but clean and safe. Students sleep in gender-segregated rooms with roommates and have access to shared bathrooms with showers.

High school students who participate in this GLA travel internship in South Africa will develop essential leadership and career skills while working on initiatives centered around the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development worldwide.

This is an experiential career development internship with sociological underpinnings into a specific theme and concentration in a field of interest. Interns will gain experience working in-person with a social enterprise or nonprofit host organization from around the world.

Throughout your session you will complete 60 total internship hours:

• Observation Hours: 36
• Professional Development Hours: 12
• Self-Study Hours: 12

The outcomes of this internship are related to five main learning objectives:

1. Gain insights into your personal goals and professional growth areas, along with a deeper understanding of South Africa, wildlife conservation and geology.
2. Expand your knowledge of recent trends, terminology and case studies in the field of wildlife veterinary science.
3. Learn to recognize and express diverse perspectives within broader social contexts.
4. Develop critical analysis skills by evaluating quantitative and qualitative data to form well-informed opinions.
5. Observe and thoughtfully assess real places and situations where impacts and results can be interpreted and applied within context.

Coming soon!

The 2030 United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development serves as the framework for discussions and the self-study coursework for our student interns here in Peru. During this travel internship you will focus on three SDGs, including:

• SDG 15: Life on Land
• SDG 14: Life Below Water
• SDG 4: Quality Education

Explore topics related to building the case for wildlife education campaigns in schools for a sustainable approach to wildlife conservation and community empowerment

Complete a core curriculum with your peers and through the guidance of your internship supervisor. Build your personal competitive edge, as part of a cohort of student interns working in partnership with our global nonprofit partner in Peru. Create a portfolio from completed project work to enhance your college application or future career resume.

By completing this travel internship you will earn:

• A professional letter of recommendation
• A certificate of completion
• Community service hours
• Relevant experience for college applications and essays

Global Leadership Adventures can also provide any supporting documentation and serve as an organization of record, should you want to earn college credits for your internship.

Global Leadership Adventures is extremely proud to partner with Portland State University, based in Portland, Oregon, to offer college credit for our student interns who successfully complete all requirements for the internship.

Student interns are welcome to enroll in the internship for Portland State University credit. This internship course curriculum is fully accredited for U.S. undergraduate credit through PSU. Credits are transferable to other colleges and universities, though please note that it is the responsibility of each intern to confirm with their university of intent that these quarter credits will be accepted at the institution.

Getting college credit during high school has so many benefits. It can help with earning scholarships for college and even improve your chance of admission into your university of choice.

The additional fee to earn up to four quarter credits from Portland State University is $750.00. Though recommended, you are not required to purchase the college credit add-on as it is 100% optional. Click here to learn more.

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To save your spot, an application fee and $600 deposit are required.

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