Wilderness Intern Says Farewell

Three months ago, if someone would have told me there was an internship that involved hiking, camping, and hanging out at beer festivals, I would have said they were crazy. But sitting here on my last day as the Crater Lake Wilderness Summer Intern at Oregon Wild, I now know jobs THAT amazing actually do exist.

As a college senior studying Public Relations at Northern Michigan University, my internship at Oregon Wild was exactly the real-world environmental communication experience I was looking for. From the very first day, it was clear that this was not a “make photo copies and get coffee for people” type of internship. It was the perfect balance of having real responsibilities like writing the Wilderness Area of the Week blogs and helping plan a Wilderness Conference, and at the same time, it was a safe, supportive learning environment where I wasn’t afraid to ask questions. From writing press releases about redwood burl poaching to creating a new Crater Lake Hiking webpage, I got the chance to practice the skills that I had only been learning about in my classes.

If I had to pick a favorite aspect of my time at Oregon Wild, I would say it was anytime I was out in the community talking with people about what this incredible organization stands for. Whether it was at the Portland Organic Brewers Festival or the Bend Saturday Market, I have never felt as proud as I did being the person standing behind the Oregon Wild info table educating people about how, together, we can protect the unique and beautiful land, waters, and wildlife of Oregon.  I lost count of how many people came to the table just to shake my hand and thank me for the work Oregon Wild does.  It turns out there are a lot of us out there who care about the preservation of our earth, and groups like Oregon Wild make it possible for us connect with each other and create change.  

What I am most thankful for is the opportunity to work with such a passionate and kind group of individuals. Not only did they welcome me graciously into the Oregon Wild family, but they also reminded me that it IS possible to look forward to going to work every day and that I should continue to strive for that kind of passion in my life. Environmental conservation is not easy. It’s a slow, frustrating process with countless setbacks. Yet, they keep at it every day because they believe in keeping Oregon the beautiful place it is meant to be. I could not be more grateful for my time at Oregon Wild. It has been a fun, challenging, beautiful, crazy, life-changing experience that I will never forget.

-Savannah Mallo