Keystone student Kathryn Price knows exactly what she would like to do after she graduates from college and her recent internship should play a major role in helping her achieve her goals.
Kathryn, a senior from Freedonia, N.Y., hopes to attend graduate school and then pursue a career in marine ecology. She jump-started her plans this past summer with an internship at the Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota, Fla. The main goal of the research program is to help protect sea turtle nests from animal and human predators. For Kathryn, it was the experience of a lifetime.
Kathryn holding sea turtles during her internship
“Keystone has really been a wonderful place for me. I’ve enjoyed the small classes and my professors have been great in preparing me for the next phase of my life. I can’t wait to get started.”
Kathryn Price
“We devoted every morning to walking 35-plus miles of beach to look for sea turtle activity,” Kathryn explained. “When we did find activity, we were permitted to take data and measurements, and even find eggs to verify it was nest.
“After checking on each nest for an average incubation period of 55 days, we help make sure as many baby hatchlings make it safely out to sea as possible, either by excavating monitored nests or just watching them go into the ocean without a problem. Once we completed the day’s new activity, we headed to the office to transfer all the data into our database and made sure everything was filed and ready for the next day.”
Kathryn not only enjoyed her work but now she knows more about her potential career.
“This internship helped me realize how incredibly important conservations programs are,” Kathryn said. “Many people do not realize how quickly our marine ecosystem is dying and the effects that can have on the human population and the environment. By being here and learning the ins-and-outs of a conservation program, I now know I would like to pursue a career in marine ecology. Climate change and the conservation of the marine ecosystem go hand-in-hand and I would love to one day to my part in preserving the ocean and the animals that live in it.”
Kathryn said her studies at Keystone, particularly her science classes and research with Dr. Vicki Stanavitch prepared for the internship and has helped get her ready for graduate school. Also, her time as a member of the Keystone women’s varsity basketball and lacrosse teams have really added to her overall college experience.
“Keystone has really been a wonderful place for me. I’ve enjoyed the small classes and my professors have been great in preparing me for the next phase of my life. I can’t wait to get started.”
Kathryn is looking forward to pursuing a career in marine ecology.