From AmeriCorps to Gondwana: Nick's GIS and Reserve Management Internship

The role: GIS and Reserve Management intern

Nick's work at Gondwana Game Reserve was field research from the start: camera trapping and species identification, game transects to understand current populations and their viability, and vegetation surveys to understand the flora's viability and its importance to the fauna. He also built a GIS project on a resident animal, its habitat, and how it interacts with its environment inside the reserve.

“Part of the reason I love wildlife conservation is the field aspect. It is 100% hands-on and always exciting,” he says. “Everything in this internship has allowed me to thrive, including my learning style, because the only way to collect data is by going out into nature and finding it. This has kept me engaged and enthusiastic every single day.”

Why this internship, and why South Africa

Nick's long-term goal is to make a lasting impact on conservation in the United States. Learning GIS was a way to get his foot in the door and to strengthen a Master's application.

The specific skills he picked up through the GIS and Reserve Management program transfer directly to a career at home: camera trapping, field research and safety, vegetation importance in a habitat, and GIS. By the end he had the field research experience, the GIS certification, and the wildlife experience he set out to get.

• Camera trapping and species identification
• Field research methods and field safety
• Vegetation surveys and habitat assessment
• QGIS proficiency and a completed GIS project

The highlights

“I chose Gondwana for the field experience and the GIS certification, but I left with far more,” Nick says. “My greatest accomplishments in my time there are the relationships and knowledge I gained.”

He describes Gondwana as a vital proving ground that gave him the field research experience and QGIS proficiency needed to succeed in wildlife conservation. Reaching those certifications and hands-on milestones let him move forward in his career with confidence and technical expertise.

The challenges, and how the group handled them

The biggest challenges to morale in field research, Nick says, are loneliness and homesickness. “We spend a lot of time in nature, which is very healthy, but you trade the people at home for it.” Patchy wifi made even a phone call hard to get through.

The fix the group landed on was simple and it worked: everyone wrote down three dishes that reminded them of home, and at least one dish from each person made the main menu.

Nick's advice to prospective interns

Go into it without any expectations of new people, treat everyone with respect, be open to showing your own culture, and try something new and different.

Nick's advice to AmeriCorps alumni

“Take some time to think about how your Education Award can benefit you the most. If that means paying off your student loans or going back to school, great. If it means gaining experience you can put on your resume to set yourself apart, while having an adventure abroad, also great.”

“For me, I decided to use my Award to go to a destination on the other side of the world, and I am so glad I did. The relationships I made and skills I gained are invaluable. I could have put my Education Award towards my Master's degree, but I am so glad I chose this path. Ultimately, you get to choose yours, but I would encourage you to give an international internship or volunteer program some genuine thought.”