Intern Spotlight: My Summer with the DNR

My Summer With the DNR
By: Betsy Baertlein
Southeast Minnesota MinnAqua Intern
08/04/2008

Duties include: baiting hooks, releasing fish, untangling poles, and retaining sanity while fishing with up to 30 kids. While this may not sound like the description of a typical internship, my summer days usually include all of the above. From May to August I am interning with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ MinnAqua Program. With an office in Whitewater State Park, I am responsible for the fifteen county region of Southeast Minnesota. Usually when people ask me what I do, I tell them that I teach kids how to fish, but my internship encompasses so much more than that. Along with teaching kids, I also work with elderly people and mentally disabled adults and teens. I have acted as a liaison between MinnAqua and various community organizations, organized a Fishing Festival for my region, and become familiar with lessons in aquatic ecology and Minnesota fish. Each day at work presents itself as an opportunity for learning and professional growth. For the remainder of the summer, I can look forward to visiting the Duluth region to work at the Great Lakes Aquarium, shadowing a fisheries biologist in Lake City, sharing stories of the summer at an intern camping trip, and, of course, untangling many more poles.
Naturally, you’re probably wondering, how does all of this relate to her future plans? Well, my major is Literature with a Writing Emphasis, and my minor is Environmental Biology. As a junior at SMU, I am not entirely sure what I want to do for the rest of my life, but I would like my career to combine these two fields in some way. I am currently pondering the possibility of doing public relations in the environmental sector. The DNR has been a great organization to work for, and I definitely would not mind spending more time with them in the future.

Pictures will be posted soon!