One of my favorite parts about working at the Environmental Nature Center is the great people I work with. The staff is amazing and I consider them friends as well as talented educators. Several years ago we began a service learning internship program, which has also given me the opportunity to work with a number of amazing high school and college students, as well as recent college graduates. It is so gratifying to watch them learn and grow. I know that their experience here is helping them with their future careers, and it’s also great to have their fresh minds working on projects at the Nature Center, lending their expertise to our team.
One of our greatest interns that I’ve worked with so far has been Nathan Serafin. Since we are nearing the end of his internship, I asked him if he would answer a few questions for a blog article. It’s only fitting that we should write one about him after all of the articles he’s written about us!
What did you learn while interning at the ENC?
I learned so much about how to get messages across to people! I love writing and creating visual art, and I had the opportunity to practice both of those skills to communicate to our audience how important it is to learn about nature. This is something that proved very invaluable during my time here, especially since I want to be in a position in which I’d be able to communicate these issues with others.
What was your favorite part about working here?
My favorite part was actually getting to talk to everyone who worked here; they have so much knowledge to share with personalities that stand out. Talking and listening to people who had the same interests during lunch was a treat I always looked forward to.
What will you do now? Immediate plans (grad school, new job, etc.)
Right now I’m focusing on working to raise money for grad school, and studying for the GRE. I’m really excited to bring these new world views with me and prove that I have what it takes to make a difference somewhere (hopefully)!
What is your long-term goal, and how has this internship helped prepare you for it.
My long-term goal is to eventually become an environmental leader either in the public OR private sector. I’m working towards obtaining an urban planning degree and this internship helped me hone my talents in communication and creativity, which are definitely two concepts that are needed in the field, especially when you’re mapping out the pathways in which people use resources and live in a city.
Good luck, Nathan! Keep in touch. We can’t wait to see how successful you become, and how much positive change you affect in the world. – Lori Whalen, Education & Community Relations Director